Hannah Kobayashi, whose disappearance led to a statewide search and international headlines, returned to the United States on Sunday, bringing an end to the high-profile missing persons case.
On Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that the case is now closed.
Kobayashi, who disappeared in Los Angeles after arriving at LAX on a flight from Maui, Hawaii on Nov. 8, was later revealed to have willingly traveled over the U.S./Mexico border days after she arrived.
On the morning of Nov. 12, 2024, she traveled by bus from Union Station to San Ysidro, LAPD officials said. Video surveillance showed she crossed the border into Mexico shortly after arriving in San Ysidro and apparently remained in Mexico since.
Family members were reportedly told that she had no intentions of returning to the U.S.
Intrigue about her seeming disappearance stemmed from still images captured of the 30-year-old Hawaii resident in various locations across the city. Family members and loved ones traveled to L.A. to aid in the search, with some concerned she may have been abducted and held against her will.
Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, was among the family members to fly from Hawaii to Los Angeles to search for his missing daughter. His body was later found near LAX, dead from an apparent suicide.
Internal conflict between Kobayashi’s immediate and extended family has led to confusion among law enforcement and the media regarding the real nature of her disappearance.
Despite the radio silence between the missing 30-year-old, police have said there has been no evidence of foul play or human trafficking. At this point, no criminal charges have been filed.
Customs Border Protection alerted local law enforcement that she presented herself for re-entry into the U.S. on Sunday and “appeared in good health.”
Her name has since been removed from California’s Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
