Maui resident Hannah Kobayashi flew from Hawaii to Los Angeles for a brief layover on the way to visit her aunt in New York City on Nov. 8. More than three weeks later, she hasn’t been seen since.
The time since has been anything but ordinary, with a massive search and the unexpected death of Hannah’s father happening in recent weeks.
New developments in recent days have been scarce, so where do things stand with the case as of Saturday? Let’s take a look at a timeline of events:
Friday, Nov. 8
Kobayashi, 31, boarded a flight from Maui to a layover at Los Angeles International Airport on the way to New York City. The tickets were purchased with her ex-boyfriend before they broke up, the Los Angeles Times reported, but they each decided to go on the trip anyway because the tickets were non-refundable.
They planned to part ways after landing in New York, the Times reported.
Kobayashi never got on that connecting flight, scheduled to take off at 11 p.m., however.
Saturday, Nov. 9 and Sunday, Nov. 10
Kobayashi, after missing her flight, was spotted at The Grove on Saturday and Sunday, according to family members. After attending a LeBron James event at the shopping center’s Nike store on Sunday, her phone was tracked back to LAX.
She texted family members that day, saying she was scared and she was frustrated after missing her flight.
“She mentioned feeling scared, and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity,” her aunt, Larie Pidgeon said. “Strange, cryptic messages – things about the matrix, it was so unlike her. And then all of a sudden, no more communication.”
She was last seen at the Pico Metro Station near Crypto.com Arena around 10 p.m. on Nov. 11 with an unknown person.
As the search for Kobayashi heated up, police described her as 5-foot-10 inches tall and about 140 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin with freckles.
Sunday, Nov. 24
The search for Kobayashi continued as family members traveled to L.A. to assist with the search and stated publicly that they believed she may have been harmed by another person.
On Nov. 24, the story took another tragic turn. Ryan Kobayashi, Hannah’s father, was found dead in a parking lot near LAX, where the search was centered.
The LAPD said he died by suicide.
Ryan spoke with KTLA just days before his death, in hopes of reaching his daughter.
“I miss her,” he said. “Just want her to know that, and just want her to reach out – anything.”
The stunning development added to the family’s tragedy.
Tuesday, Nov. 26
On Tuesday, according to reporting from USA Today, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the department determined she intentionally missed her flight to New York.
“Our hearts go out to the Kobayashi family during this unimaginable time of grief,” McDonnell said in a Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners meeting. “We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy.”
Saturday, Nov. 30
As of Saturday, no new developments have come out regarding Hannah’s location.
KTLA reached out to LAPD for an update on Saturday, but did not immediately hear back.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
