Hannah Kobayashi, a missing Maui woman, was seen in new surveillance footage buying a bus ticket to Mexico.
Los Angeles police revealed Monday that Kobayashi, 30, was seen at Union Station buying a bus ticket to the U.S.-Mexico border on Nov. 11, the day she stopped responding to messages from her family. and friends.
A photo of the surveillance footage, obtained by Fox 11 Los Angeles, shows the aspiring photographer standing at a counter in a sweatshirt, with her passport in hand and a suitcase at her side.
She was later seen alive in images from the border near Tijuana on November 12 and 13, about 11 days before her father took his own life.
Police now believe Kobayashi “intentionally” missed her connecting flight to New York City from Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8, and are classifying her disappearance as “voluntary.”
They noted that there is no evidence of human trafficking or criminal acts and stated that she seemed to have wanted a less complicated life.
“Investigators noted that prior to departing Maui, Kobayashi expressed a desire to get away from modern connectivity,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Monday.
Los Angeles police added that they will not continue their investigation of Kobayashi, but will be notified if she returns to the United States and are encouraging her to contact police or the U.S. embassy in Mexico to “confirm her well-being.”
Hannah Kobayashi, 30, was seen crossing the US-Mexico border on November 12, while her family reported her missing.
She was captured on security footage standing at the Union Station counter with her passport in hand the day before.
Still, Kobayashi’s family urges community members to continue searching for her, as they warned against “speculative conclusions.”
Sydni, his sister, argued to NBC News Tuesday night that they should have been shown the video of Kobayashi crossing into Mexico at a pedestrian port of entry in San Diego on Nov. 12.
“We’re as confused and as frustrated as anything right now,” he said.
The family’s attorney, Sara Azari, agreed, saying the Los Angeles Police Department “just came to this conclusion … without showing (his family) any recordings.”
“A lot more research is needed to be able to say it’s voluntary.”
Instead, Sydni said she fears Hannah may be a victim of human trafficking; despite police officers saying there is no evidence to suggest she was forced to cross the border.
Police claimed Kobayashi expressed a desire to “move away from modern connectivity.”
But Sydni has repeatedly said she couldn’t understand how Hannah could remain offline after her father took his own life during search efforts.
“She was always close to me more than anyone in our lives.”
Police now believe Kobayashi “intentionally” missed her connecting flight to New York City from Los Angeles International Airport on November 8. She is photographed at Los Angeles International Airport that day.
Police say they will not continue their investigation of Kobayashi but will be notified if he returns to the United States.
The family had previously issued a statement regarding the LAPD’s discovery, insisting that the search for Kobayashi is “far from over” and saying 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 the investigation of 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.
“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.”
Azari added that the family will now send followers to search for Kobayashi in Mexico.
Kobayashi’s family argued that she was acting unusually in the days after she missed her flight to New York, citing strange text messages and Venmo payments.
They urge the public to continue their search efforts and send volunteers to Mexico
The family has repeatedly shared their concerns that Hannah may be in danger, with Sydni once even arguing that it seemed like “someone was controlling her” while sending cryptic text messages.
In the messages, he claimed that he had recently experienced a “spiritual awakening” after reuniting with his family in New York.
In another, he stated: “Deep Hackers deleted my identity, stole all my funds and have had me in trouble since Friday.”
A third text message to a friend said she was “practically tricked into donating all my funds to someone I thought I loved.”
Kobayashi also sent some unusual payments to Venmo after her disappearance.
A payment was sent at 6:25 pm on November 9 to a person named Verónica Almendarez for an unknown amount, and the payment description only shows a drawn bow and arrow emoji.
The second was made less than an hour later to someone named Jonathan Taylor, also for an undisclosed amount, and the description only said: “Reading.”
Family members said they did not recognize any of the names and noted that Kobayashi’s phone has been off since Nov. 11 and that her last marked location was Los Angeles International Airport.
But the family abruptly shut down the Facebook page dedicated to Kobayashi’s search efforts, claiming they were receiving death threats.
The Help Us Find Hannah page was removed from the social media site on Sunday, and Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni, and her mother, Brandi Yee, said they had been reporting the threats to the FBI.
There are now also questions about the GoFundMe the family created now that it has been determined that Kobayashi is not a victim of foul play.
Many donors to the fundraiser, which raised more than $47,000, are demanding refunds.
The fundraiser was organized on November 15 with a goal of $50,000. As of Tuesday, he was 94 percent of the way there.
According to GoFundMe, the money would be used for food and hydration for search teams, transportation, communication devices and technology, a media campaign, “temporary housing for essential personnel,” and on-site support for the family.
On November 26, the family updated the fundraiser to add Kobayashi’s father’s funeral costs to their reach.
A GoFundMe spokesperson confirmed that the fundraiser remains within their terms of service at this time.