Editor’s Note: This article contains discussions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can find resources in your area on the National Crisis Line website or by calling 988.
() Hannah Kobayashi, who was missing for weeks last year, has said on social media that she is ready to speak out and will share her story of what happened.
The 30-year-old photographer failed to board a connecting flight in Los Angeles and was reported missing by her family.
Kobayashi was seen on surveillance cameras in the LA area for a few days after missing her flight and sent what her family described as “strange” texts before turning her phone off.
An extensive search was launched, and during the search effort, her father died by suicide.
Photos of Kobayashi getting married also surfaced during the search, leading to speculation that she may have been the victim of a scam.
Kobayashi was declared a voluntary missing person days later after she was seen crossing into Mexico. Authorities later confirmed she was safe, and she returned to the U.S. in December.
At the time, Kobayashi said she was unaware of the media attention on her case.
Over the weekend, Kobayashi said on Instagram Stories that people should learn to be kind to one another and thanked those who spent time and energy looking for her.
She did not directly address her father’s suicide or what happened during the time she was out of contact with her family.
Kobayashi told SFGate that she does intend to eventually share more details about the incident and tell her side of the story.
