Hannah Kobayashi, a 31-year-old woman, vanished under puzzling circumstances after missing her connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 8. Scheduled to fly from Maui to New York, she never made it to her final destination. Her disappearance has raised serious concerns, especially after her family received unsettling text messages from her phone.
Kobayashi was expected to land at New York’s JFK airport on November 9 but was spotted at an event at The Grove, a popular Los Angeles venue, the following day. Despite this sighting, her phone’s location later traced her back to LAX on November 11, the last day she was heard from. The timeline has baffled her family, who reported her missing to the Los Angeles Police Department on November 12.
Described as 5’10” tall and weighing around 140 pounds, Kobayashi was last seen in surveillance footage at LAX. Her mother, Brandi Yee, said she texted her daughter on November 9 to confirm her arrival in New York. Kobayashi’s reply, “Not yet,” seemed innocuous at first. However, as the days passed, her lack of communication became alarming.
According to Yee, Kobayashi had been eagerly planning her New York visit, which included a handwritten itinerary titled “Bucket list dreams become a reality.” She was due to meet her aunt, who later revealed she never arrived at their scheduled hotel. “She was supposed to meet me for a show that night,” her aunt stated, adding to the urgency of the situation.
The mystery took a darker turn when a family friend received cryptic messages from Kobayashi’s phone. One message said, “I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds… For someone I thought I loved.” The friend later recounted that Kobayashi expressed fear and claimed she was at LAX. Her sister, Sydni, also shared unsettling texts, noting, “She said she couldn’t come home and that she was scared. It didn’t sound like her.”
These details have left her family confused and desperate for answers. “It’s just weird. I don’t know if it’s her texting or someone else,” Sydni said. The family decided to file a missing person’s report as soon as possible, knowing time was of the essence.
Brandi Yee made an emotional plea to the public, asking anyone with information to come forward. “Please help her, if you can. We just want to bring her home,” she said.
The Los Angeles Police Department is currently investigating the case, but leads remain limited. Kobayashi’s family continues to urge anyone who may have seen her or has relevant information to contact them at (845) 750-3006.
Hannah Kobayashi’s disappearance remains shrouded in mystery, with each passing day adding to the family’s anguish. Her case highlights the importance of swift public involvement in missing persons investigations.
