Hannah Kobayashi returns to US after Mexico disappearance, had no idea about global media coverage: report

Hannah Kobayashi, a formerly missing Hawaii woman, has returned to the United States after surveillance footage captured her crossing into Mexico on foot with a suitcase, according to authorities.

“The Los Angeles Police Department received notification from Customs and Border Protection that Hannah Kobayashi had presented herself on December 15, 2024, for entry into the US and appeared in good health,” the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement, adding that her missing persons case “is now closed.”

Kobayashi’s aunt, Larie Pidgeon, recently shared a statement from Kobayashi with People magazine. “At daybreak on December 15th, I crossed the border back into the United States. My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity. I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time.”

Koyabashi continued to explain that she was unaware of the national media coverage surrounding her disappearance.

“I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away, and I am still processing it all. I kindly ask for respect for myself, my family, and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time. Thank you for your understanding,” the statement said, according to People.

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Kobayashi, 30, was first reported missing in early November after she missed two flights from Los Angeles International Airport to New York City, where she had made plans to visit her aunt.

Officials with the LAPD soon determined that Kobayashi missed both flights intentionally “for unknown reasons.”

In early December, the LAPD listed Kobayashi as a voluntary missing person after reviewing surveillance footage with her family, “from U.S. Customs and Border Protection which clearly shows Kobayashi crossing the United States border on foot into Mexico,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said during a news conference at the time. She was carrying luggage across the border and appeared unharmed.

The case garnered national media attention due to concerns about Kobayashi’s well-being and her lack of communication with loved ones. 

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On Dec. 11, days before the LAPD confirmed Kobayashi’s return to the United States, criminal defense attorney Sara Azari shared a statement on behalf of Kobayashi’s family saying she had been found safe.

“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe. This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us,” the statement from Brandi Yee and Sydni Kobayashi said.

“Much like the public, the family is in the dark with the same unanswered questions.”

— Sara Azari

Azari told Fox News Digital in a Tuesday statement on behalf of Kobayashi’s mother and sister that they do not have answers regarding exactly how Kobayashi was located or why she traveled to Mexico.

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Pidgeon previously told Fox News Digital that friends and family received a flurry of bizarre text messages from Kobayashi after her missed flight that did not match her usual cadence. She texted a friend that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds” and that she was tricked “for someone I thought I loved.”

“She [wrote she] was having a spiritual awakening, that she was concerned about the matrix. It was just the most bizarre text messages,” Pidgeon previously said. “And it went from, ‘Hi, I can’t wait to see you guys. Love you. Everything’s great.'”

Ryan Kobayashi, the 30-year-old’s father, was found dead on Nov. 24 of an apparent suicide after jumping from a parking structure in Los Angeles while he and his family were searching for the missing woman. 

Los Angeles Magazine reported that Kobayashi had fallen victim to an immigration scheme before going missing. Kobayashi’s mother reportedly found documents in her daughter’s Hawaii home that listed an immigration attorney, according to the outlet, and turned that information over to law enforcement.

However, Azari wrote in a post on X that the family “has not confirmed the authenticity of the images or the accuracy of the information provided about a possible secret marriage… we did not have the facts or the necessary documents to verify the legitimacy of this information.”

Fox News’ Christina Coulter and Mollie Markowitz contributed to this report.