Hannah Kobayashi.Photo:LAPD
LAPD
Police are speaking out afterHannah Kobayashi’s family announced that she had been “found safe” about a month after she walked into Mexico, marking a conclusion of sorts in what authorities have previously called avoluntary disappearance.
Lt. Doug Oldfield, a member of the L.A. Police Department’s missing persons unit, tells PEOPLE that they learned “Ms. Kobayashi was found” from the family’s attorney, about an hour before their statement was released.
“We have not seen her and at this point we have no reason to compel her to see us,” he says. “It’s a big news story so she may decide to come with a lawyer, but she is not obligated to speak to us.”
“We’ll see what happens next. We don’t have a lot of details,” he adds.
Although Oldfield says they were told Kobayashi was found in Mexico, the family attorney did not specify where and when Kobayashi was located or how family members got in contact with her.
Kobayashi’s family released a statement on Wednesday, Dec. 11, saying that they were “incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe.”
“This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through,” Kobayashi’s sister and mother, Sydni Kobayashi and Brandi Yee, said in a statement to PEOPLE through their attorney, Sara Azari.
Hannah Kobayashi.Courtesy of Larie Pidgeon
Courtesy of Larie Pidgeon
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time,” they added. “Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
Azari went on to say that the family would make no further statements at this time.
“We usually want law enforcement to determine a person is safe and make contact,” Oldfield adds, sharing that “as of now,” they’ll wait for Customs and Border Protection agents to “make sure she’s okay” the next time she crosses. “Then we take her out of the system,” he adds, “unless something else happens.”
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Kobayashi, a 30-year-old photographer living in Hawaii, was reported missing on Nov. 11 after failing to make a connecting flight in Los Angeles bound for New York City. She was supposed to have boarded a flight there on Nov. 8, but never did.
Police later determinedshe went to the southern border on Nov. 12and walked on foot into Tijuana, Mexico.
Hannah Kobayashi.Emi Ko/GoFundMe
Emi Ko/GoFundMe
During alengthy conversation with PEOPLE, law enforcement previously said that they devoted significant resources to untangling Kobayashi’s case — and that a key discovery was learning the truth about reports that she wasseen in L.A. with a strangershe met at LAX’s train stop while leaving the airport on Nov. 11 and struck up a conversation with.
Oldfield said investigators were able to track the man down only days after Kobayashi was first reported missing and were able to confirm his story about the time they spent together.
“We haven’t spoken to her, but from what we gather is that she was looking to understand how to get to Union Station and that he was going to assisting getting her there,” Oldfield said.
“For the amount of time they spent together, he pretty much was an ear to listen,” added Detective Omar Franco, who heads the missing persons unit. “She just spoke and talked about her life in Maui, her personal life, her love life and so forth. And he just listened to her.”
Police said the man described Kobayashi as a “free spirit,” but said that she seemed coherent and normal, not scared. According to the man, Kobayashi said she wanted to go see the redwoods and also mentioned plans to be in New York.
“These things, we were able to corroborate,” Oldfield said.
Although police have reiterated that Kobayashi is under no obligation to speak with them, Oldfield says that he feels “optimistic” and just hopes “that she’s okay.”
“The whole unit spent weeks on this and then we get invested as well. So ultimately we wanted to see an outcome that had her being safe and unharmed,” he adds. “We were always hoping for the best for that young woman.”
source: people.com