The father of hannah kobayashi, Ryan Kobayashi, has died after an apparent suicide, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The 58-year-old father had been searching for his daughter, 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi, after she missed her connecting flight to New York from LAX. Hannah was supposed to meet with family on Nov. 8, according to family.
Kobayashi died after he jumped off from a parking structure near LAX sometime around 4 a.m. on Sunday, police confirm.
A vigil was held outside of Crypto.com Arena Thursday for Hannah, who is still missing.
On Nov. 11, family members say they received strange text messages from Hannah about someone trying to steal her identity. All calls that day went straight to voicemail. The family has not heard from her since.
On Monday, Nov. 18, Ryan spoke with KTLA in hopes of reaching his daughter. “I miss her,” he said. “Just want her to know that, and just want her to reach out – anything.”
Hannah’s family has not heard from her since Nov. 10, and her last known location was in downtown Los Angeles near the Pico Metro Station on Nov. 11.
On Sunday, Nov. 24, Los Angeles Police said officers responded to the 6100 block of Century Boulevard around 4 a.m. Sunday for a report of a death in the area.
While LAPD did not release any details about the cause of death, a nonprofit that is believed to be aiding in the search provided a statement on behalf of the family.
Kobayashi’s aunt Larie Pidgeon also offered a message last week to the public and to her niece.
“Hannah, we love you. We are all here. Your mom’s here, your sister’s here, your father’s here. The entire world is looking for you,” she said.
“If someone has Hannah, I want you to know that she is the kindest, most beautiful soul in the entire world. And please don’t hurt her.”
“Please just give us back to her. No questions asked. Just don’t hurt her. Please.”
“We’re trying to make them take us seriously because it’s been 11 days,” said Laire Pidgeon, Kobayashi’s aunt. “Just because she doesn’t have a mental illness and just because she is not elderly doesn’t mean something didn’t happen to her.”
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or have concerns about someone else who may be, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1–800-273-TALK.
