The father of missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi has died after apparently taking his own life in Los Angeles.
Ryan Kobayashi, 58, had been in Los Angeles searching for his daughter after she went missing in the city earlier this month.
He died near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at around 4 a.m. on Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department told Newsweek. A missing persons support organization published a family statement saying he had taken his own life.
“LAPD Pacific Area patrol officers responded to the 6100 block of West Century Boulevard for a death investigation” at 4 a.m. in Sunday, an LAPD spokesperson said.
“The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office was notified and conducted their investigation. The investigation revealed the decedent involved in the death investigation was Ryan Kobayashi, father of missing person Hannah Kobayashi.”
In a statement posted on social media by missing persons support organization The Rad Movement, the Kobayashi family said it had “endured a devastating tragedy” on Sunday, but wanted the public to focus on “locating and recovering Hannah safely.”
“After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life,” the statement said. “This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
The statement added that the family is urgently pleading with the public to maintain focus on the search for her. “Hannah IS still actively missing and is believed to be in imminent danger. It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah.”
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Kobayashi, 31, was last heard from on November 11.
Larie Pidgeon, her aunt, told USA Today the family received messages that were out of character for her that day.
“We started getting texts saying that she didn’t feel safe, that someone was trying to steal her funds, that someone was trying to take her identity,” Pidgeon said.
“Weird things, calling us babe, things that weren’t quite the normal way that she speaks.”
That came after Kobayashi missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York at LAX on November 8. She sent messages to her family saying she had been hacked and “stripped” of her identity so she could not fly.
She was seen on security footage leaving the airport dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt and tie-dye leggings and carrying a dark green backpack.
Pidgeon said her niece had been spotted twice The Grove shopping mall in the following days. She was seen once by employees of the Taschen bookstore on November 9 and then again on video at a Nike event on November 10. A photo from the Nike event was posted to her Instagram the same day.
She returned to LAX on November 11, but did not board a flight, her family said. Her phone last pinged at the airport that day, but has not been found.
Kobayashi’s family issued a statement on November 17 that said they had obtained surveillance footage that showed her in the vicinity of the Pico Metro station in downtown Los Angeles.
“In the footage, it is evident that Hannah does not appear to be in good condition, and she is not alone,” the statement said.
Kobayashi is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds. She has brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin with freckles. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the LAPD on 1-877-527-3247 or The Rad Movement on 619-904-0840 or by email to radthemovement@gmail.com.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “988” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org
Update 11/25/24, 6:25 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a statement from the Kobayashi family.
Update 11/25/24, 10:15 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a statement from Los Angeles Police Department.