Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe and sound and has been back in touch with her family, her loved ones have revealed.
The Hawaii woman contacted her relatives on Wednesday to tell them she is fine, according to a statement shared with DailyMail.com.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” the statement said.
‘The past month has been an unimaginable trial 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 sincere gratitude to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant a lot to us.
Kobayashi disappeared at LAX on November 8 while traveling from her home in Hawaii to New York for a “bucket list” trip.
His father flew to Los Angeles to help in his search and ended up committing suicide.
Earlier this month, Los Angeles police reported that Kobayashi had voluntarily crossed into Mexico.
But her family continued to contradict police in public statements, saying they still did not know if Kobayashi was safe.
Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe and healthy, her family said Wednesday.
The 30-year-old woman disappeared from Los Angeles International Airport after missing a connecting flight from her home in Maui to New York, seen after landing at LAX on the left and purchasing a bus ticket at Union Station on the right.
Investigators say Kobayashi “knowingly left” the airport, before using his passport and cash to buy a bus ticket to the US-Mexico border. She was later captured on surveillance footage crossing into Tijuana on foot between November 12 and 13.
Police closed the investigation into her whereabouts after discovering she was “voluntarily missing.”
Her family claimed they had not seen surveillance footage showing her crossing the border into Mexico until December 2.
Kobayashi’s relatives faced backlash after police revealed that she was not missing as they had raised money for the search.
The family said going to Mexico was uncharacteristic of Kobayashi and they were still trying to contact her.
Even after police closed the investigation, the family said the search for Kobayashi was “far from over and they are committed to doing everything possible to bring her home safely.”
“We are deeply grateful for the urgency and dedication that law enforcement has shown in investigating Hannah’s disappearance,” they said in a statement shared online by NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin.
‘Our family is hopeful that Hannah is safe and urges everyone to continue the search.
Kobayashi’s father, seen above, flew to Los Angeles to help in the search for her and ended up committing suicide.
“We want answers and a resolution that ensures Hannah’s safety and we urge authorities and the public to remain focused on finding her and avoid speculative conclusions.
“Spreading awareness and sharing verified information about your case is crucial, and we deeply appreciate your continued support in these efforts.”
The family then confirmed reports that they were exploring the possibility that she may have been caught up in a green card marriage scam before her disappearance.
Last week, sources told LA Mag that she had apparently been scammed out of the proceeds from a green card visa scheme.
The outlet said Kobayashi and her then-partner landed at LAX with plans to board their connecting flight, with her legal husband and partner also on board.
LA Mag reports that the scam was discovered by Kobayashi’s mother, who found documents listing an attorney for her daughter’s marriage, which she turned over to authorities.
In statements by the family’s lawyer Sara Azari, she said that the family did not have ‘the necessary facts or documents’ to verify what they called the ‘alleged marriage.’
Their statement read: ‘This is one of many leads we are actively investigating with the help of our attorney and investigation team.
“We would also like to confirm that we handed over the alleged information to the authorities immediately upon receipt.”