The 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi’s sister stated on Tuesday that the police’s determination that she is a “voluntary missing person” is unsatisfactory.
Sydni Kobayashi, who appeared on Top Story with Tom Llamas alongside family attorney Sara Azari, stated that family members ought to have seen the video that Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell claimed at a press conference on Monday night depicts Hannah entering Mexico by herself on November 12 at a pedestrian port of entry in San Diego.
According to McDonnell, the agency has categorized the case as one of voluntary detachment with no suspicion of foul play and there isn’t much more it can do.
“We’re more frustrated and just as confused than anything right now,” Sydni Kobayashi stated.
Azari concurred, but questioned how the LAPD could reach that determination without consulting Hannah’s family. Hannah vanished on November 8 after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport from Honolulu and missing a trip to New York City, her final destination.
In reference to family members, the attorney stated, “They just came to this conclusion without showing them any footage.” “It takes a lot more digging and investigation to be able to say it’s voluntary.”
Sydni Kobayashi expressed her continued concern that Hannah, a Maui native, would be a victim of human trafficking, while McDonnell stated on Monday that there is no reason to assume this. She claimed she doesn’t understand how Hannah could be disconnected for almost a month after leaving Hawaii.
“She always kept close to me more than anyone in our lives,” she stated.
A request for response on the sister’s comments Tuesday night was not immediately answered by the LAPD.
According to Azari, the family will send out supporters to search Mexico for Hannah.
Hannah’s sister encouraged her to get in touch in the interim.
“I can’t stress enough how loved you are, how supported you are,” she continued. “We are quite concerned about you. You always have a home to return to, regardless of the circumstances.
After overcoming sorrow, threats, and dread for three weeks, the family must now confront the idea that Kobayashi could have desired to be left alone.
Hannah’s family released a less suspicious statement on Tuesday, thanking the police and stating that the hunt will go on, if only to make sure she’s safe.
According to the statement, “The search is far from over, and we are committed to doing everything possible to bring her home safely.”
McDonnell stated on Monday night that he encouraged Hannah to get in touch with her family because he saw the necessity for them to do so.
“She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her,” he stated. “A simple message could reassure those who care about her.”
According to a family timeline shared on Facebook and other statements from family members, Hannah missed her connecting flight and spent the next few days sightseeing in Los Angeles, sending texts to family members that one family member called “alarming,” and being caught on security footage with an unidentified man.
At the press conference on Monday, McDonnell stated that the LAPD took over the case two days after her family reported her missing on November 13.
Aunt Larie Pidgeon stated in an interview last month that Hannah wanted to be an artist and photographer and was excited to visit art and photography sites in New York.
According to her, the family members were alarmed by Hannah’s final text message sent on or around November 11. Police and Hannah’s family claim that security footage of Hannah with an unidentified male appeared on that day as well.
Last month, the aunt said on Facebook, “Hannah’s last message to us was alarming. She mentioned feeling scared and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity.”
Hannah was spotted alone at a Greyhound bus station at Union Station, the rail depot in downtown Los Angeles, on the morning of November 12, according to the police.
Police said U.S. Customs and Border Protection footage captured Kobayashi voluntarily entering Mexico at one of the crowded land ports in San Diego at 12:13 p.m. that day. Since then, no one has seen her.
When the LAPD chief informed the city’s police commission last week, as part of his regular reporting responsibilities, that Kobayashi purposefully missed her connecting flight on November 8, family members expressed astonishment and frustration, according to NBC Los Angeles.According to the station, they claimed that they were not notified of the discovery until that point.
“We are deeply grateful for the urgency and dedication law enforcement has shown in investigating Hannah’s disappearance,” the family wrote in a statement released on Tuesday, praising the police.
McDonnell declared Monday night that Hannah was not the victim of human trafficking or foul play and that she was freely removed from her daily life.
He added that the day before she crossed into Mexico, she picked up her bags at Los Angeles International Airport after it had been redirected from New York City.
At the news conference, Lieutenant Douglas Oldfield, who works in the police department’s Missing Persons Unit, stated that investigators who looked through Kobayashi’s social media came to the conclusion—albeit not with absolute certainty—that she “wanted to disconnect.”
Beginning in mid-November, Kobayashi’s family members, including her father Ryan, convened in Los Angeles to oversee volunteer search activities and investigate her whereabouts, according to the statement.
According to early results from the Los Angeles County medical examiner, her father, 58, died by suicide on November 24 close to Los Angeles International Airport. The cause of death was numerous blunt force trauma injuries.
McDonnell added, “I’m very sorry to the family for all that they’ve been through,” on Monday night.
In a statement released on Sunday, Kobayshi’s family and supporters said that their Facebook page, “Help Us Find Hannah,” was being used as a platform for threats and attacks on family members, so they halted it.
Other family members said that the rumors that Kobayashi might be withdrawing from her daily life haven’t stopped them from searching since they still need to know for sure that she’s safe.
In a statement released Tuesday, the family stated, “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.”
The message went on to say: “We sincerely appreciate your ongoing help in raising awareness and disseminating accurate information regarding her case.
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling 988 if you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis. For further resources, visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources, text HOME to 741741, or contact the network (formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) at 800-273-8255.
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