The individual who spent time with Hannah Kobayashi, who is 30 years old, just before she reportedly disappeared has stepped forward to answer questions regarding this puzzling case. Kobayashi went missing in Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 8 after missing her flight from home on an outward circuit to New York from Maui. Days later, she was spotted wandering into Tijuana on a surveillance video.
In his statement to law enforcement, the man called Kobayashi a “free spirit,” recollecting their actual meeting with him at LAX. “She just spoke and talked about her life in Maui, her personal life, her love life, and so forth. And he just listened to her,” Detective Omar Franco told People.
The man elaborated how they bumped into each other around LAX’s train stop where Kobayashi asked him for directions to Union Station. They wandered around downtown Los Angeles, shared a meal, and fell asleep in the station’s waiting area before she took off very early in the morning.
The investigators disclosed that Kobayashi “knowingly departed” from the airport and utilized her passport and cash to acquire a bus ticket to the US-Mexico border. The voluntary exit is flagged by authorities, thereby deeming her a “voluntarily missing person,” and shutting the case as a result.
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However, the family of Kobayashi is at odds with this conclusion, claiming that whatever she has done is not up to her normal behavior. Her sister extremely puts out her frustration over family in-fighting: “It’s really unfortunate when you have to question family. The fact that she has gone rogue and wants to disconnect from [our effort], that’s on her.”
The issue between relatives cemented over when Kobayashi’s aunt, Laurie Pidgeon, announced her resignation from the family’s search-like campaign due to disagreements over the costs of GoFundMe. She noted, “I’m going to travel to Mexico personally to further the efforts to locate her and then see if she is indeed acting of her own free will and truly safe.”
The family is adamant about the search for answers. It stated in the press release: “We want answers and a resolution that ensures Hannah’s safety and urge law enforcement and the public to stay focused on finding her and to avoid speculative conclusions.”
As if yet another twist in the plot, Kobayashi had sent bizarre text messages on the eve of her disappearance. One of the messages stated that she was undergoing a “spiritual awakening.” The other read: “Deep hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f**k since Friday.”
Otherwise, there are mysterious Venmo payments that Kobayashi is said to have made. She made two Venmo payments totaling 500 dollars to two strangers using vague descriptions. Now sources claim that it is possible that Kobayashi was defrauded under some shady arrangement to get a green card visa.
She is currently being followed up by her mother in documents, which link her to a fraudulent marriage scheme that is still being investigated. And so this continues searching for Hannah Kobayashi, whose family is hoping that the end comes soon and calls on the public to stand clear of judgment.