Hannah Kobayashis family said they have been left in the dark by investigators who have not shared surveillance footage of her walking across the border into Mexico.
Police announced on Monday they had viewed surveillance video of Hannah, 30, walking alone with her luggage into a covered walkway at San Ysidro, California, crossing into Tijuana on November 12 - the day after relatives reported her missing.
Her sister, Sydni Kobayashi, told Hawaii News Now that the family did not know Hannah went to Mexico until Monday. They have also not seen the footage.
For them to tell us that they have been keeping us informed throughout the entire time, thats absolutely inaccurate, Sydni said Tuesday.
We feel like were left in the dark and that was kind of like a huge slap in the face for us.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said there is no evidence Hannah was being trafficked or was otherwise a victim of a crime.
Her disappearance is now classified as a voluntary missing person, he said - but that has left the family feeling frustrated.
Now that she’s there, it feels like they’re kind of washing their hands clean of the situation, Sydni said.
Hannah Kobayashi, 30, was seen crossing the US-Mexico border on November 12, as her family reported her missing
She was captured in security footage standing at the counter at Union Station with her passport in hand the day before
She added: They say that they seen her alone, but that doesnt discount the fact that someone could be watching her from afar, knowing how big this case has gotten and kind of like maybe controlling her or like telling her what to do.
Tim Simon, a retired FBI agent who Hannahs family hired as a private investigator, told Hawaii News Now: I’m also very skeptical of this idea that she voluntarily walked across the border to Mexico.
I think it’s entirely possible that the LAPD misidentified a person in this video with all the other border crossings, he said.
As such, I’m calling on LAPD to release the video publicly. The family will know if it’s Hannah.
According to McDonnell, Hannah disappeared voluntarily as she sought to step away from modern connectivity.
Weve basically done everything we can do at this point. Shes left the country and in another nation now, he said, adding that if she returns to the US, law enforcement will be notified. He declined to comment further on Wednesday.
McDonnell said she has a right to her privacy, but urged her to reach out to her family or law enforcement. He explained that the missing person case will remain active until her safety is confirmed by authorities.
The budding photographer from Maui went missing after she didnt make a connecting flight in Los Angeles to New York on November 8.
She was traveling for a new job and to visit relatives.
Ryan Kobayashi, center, holds a picture of his missing daughter Hannah Kobayashi outside Crypto.com Arena, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Hannah left LAX airport and ventured out into the city 15 miles away. She sent a text to a friend saying she had had a ‘spiritual awakening’, and was later seen in the company of a mystery man.
Family members, friends and local volunteers searched for Hannah in Los Angeles.
Hannahs father, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, plunged to his death from a parking garage near LAX 13 days into searching for his daughter.
The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today, the Kobayashi family said in a statement.
After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannahs father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the familys suffering immeasurably.
Police revealed that Hannah was seen at Union Station buying a bus ticket to the US-Mexico border on November 11 - the day she stopped replying to messages from her family and friends.
A photo from the surveillance footage, obtained by Fox 11 Los Angeles, shows the aspiring photographer standing at a counter in sweats with her passport in hand and a suitcase by her side.
Still, Kobayashis family is urging community members to continue to search for her, as they warned against speculative conclusions.
Kobayashis family argued that she was acting unusually in the days after she missed her flight to New York, citing odd text messages and Venmo payments
The family has repeatedly shared their concerns that Hannah may be in danger, with Sydni once even arguing at one point that it seemed like someone was controlling her as she sent cryptic text messages.
In the messages, she claimed she had recently undergone a spiritual awakening, after she was due to meet family in New York.
In another, she claimed: Deep Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f**k since Friday.
A third text message to a friend said she was tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds for someone I thought I love.
Hannah had also sent some unusual Venmo payments following her disappearance.
One payment was sent at 6:25pm on November 9 to a person named Veronica Almendarez for an unknown amount, with the description of the payment only showing a drawn bow and arrow emoji.
The second was made less than an hour later to someone called Jonathan Taylor, also for an undisclosed amount, with the description only saying: Reading.
Family members said the did not recognize either name, and have noted hat Hannahs phone has been off since November 11, with her last pinned location being the Los Angeles International Airport.