The family of a missing Hawaii woman whose father killed himself Sunday is asking for the public’s continued support for the search while urging everyone to be thankful for their loved ones.
Sydni Kobayashi, the 32-year-old sister of Hannah Kobayashi, who went missing after flying to Los Angeles Nov. 8, said she hopes people will keep posting online pleas for Hannah’s safe return and not stop looking for her.
She also asked that the public show her family grace as they fight through the “two tragedies at once that we are feeling.”
Ryan Kobayashi, 58, joined by Sydni and other family members, flew from Hawaii to Los Angeles to look for Hannah, who sent several “strange” texts Nov. 11 — her last contact with them. His body was found Sunday in a parking lot, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. The cause of his death, which was ruled a suicide, was “multiple blunt force traumatic injuries.”
Sydni Kobayashi said she can only imagine what he must have felt looking for her sister, sometimes searching the dark and seamy corners of Los Angeles.
“He took his life … . It was just because it was too much for him. He was running on little to no sleep. He was so determined to find her,” said Kobayashi, who noted her family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support. “He was caring so much about finding her and taking care of everyone else, he forgot to take care of himself. He wasn’t speaking out about what he was feeling internally.
“I truly think he just broke. I really want to let the public know that we need them now more than ever. Our family is grieving. We didn’t even have time to process it all. We are trying the best that we can to process the loss of my dad and continue to search for Hannah.”
Hannah Kobayashi, 30, a Kaiser High School graduate who was born and raised on Oahu, has been living on Maui and has no history of mental health problems, according to her family.
“She is probably one of the most grounded and kindest people I’ve ever met. She would never do this to our family and put us through this. This whole thing is mind-boggling,” said Sydni Kobayashi, adding there is zero indication her sister wanted to hurt herself.
“There is a possibility she could have been trafficked or she met the wrong person out in L.A. There are a bunch of different things that ran through our heads.”
Kobayashi said following their father’s death, law enforcement advised the family to return to Hawaii while the investigation continues.
The Kobayashi family is working with the FBI and the Maui and Los Angeles police departments after they filed a missing person’s report, she said.
“The LAPD is the lead agency on the missing persons investigation, and while we have provided assistance per their request, it would not be appropriate to comment on their ongoing case,” said Laura Eimiller, spokesperson for the FBI’s Los Angeles field office.
“FBI assistance can range depending on the specific request … but suffice to say that, as a federal law enforcement agency with international reach and specialized capabilities, we can provide assistance to our local counterparts in a variety of ways depending on their needs. We will continue to provide assistance should LAPD make additional requests.”
LAPD has an open missing persons report in connection with Hannah Kobayashi’s disappearance.
“The investigation is ongoing,” said LAPD officer Drake Madison.
Hannah Kobayashi is Okinawan and Caucasian, standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds, with light brown eyes and dark brown hair.
The “Help Us Find Hannah” Facebook group, established Nov. 14, counted more than 24,000 followers as of Wednesday afternoon.
A GoFundMe account set up to support the family’s search efforts while helping defray the cost of Ryan Kobayashi’s funeral, led by Sydni and her mother, Brandi Yee, had raised more than $41,000 by Wednesday evening.
Hannah Kobayashi flew from Maui to Los Angeles on Nov. 8 and was supposed to catch a connecting flight to New York City to spend time with family. She landed at LAX but missed her next flight, appearing instead to visit The Grove shopping mall, where she went to a Nike event Nov. 10.
Kobayashi reportedly returned to LAX the next day but didn’t board a flight.
Later that day, she sent what her family called “strange” text messages about her ID being stolen and expressing concern that someone she thought she loved was trying to take her money, her sister told the Los Angeles Times.
Sydni Kobayashi said she has a message for anyone struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts: “It’s OK to reach out for help.”
“Really, really hold onto the ones you love, hold onto them tightly,” she said. “Nobody prepares you for this type of situation. If she is reading this, I really hope that she knows that we are here for her and we want her home safely. We love her, we support her, we just want to know she is OK.”
Kobayashi also issued a plea to anyone who knows where her sister is to “keep her safe. Please do not harm her. We just really want her to come back home. We’re not going to stop until we find her.”
