Featured Image Credit: Facebook / ABC 7
Topics: US News, World News, Travel
Joshua Nair
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
The father of a missing woman has been found dead after flying to Los Angeles to help look for her.
Hannah Kobayashi disappeared after missing her connected flight to New York from Maui, Hawaii, at LAX Airport on 8 November.
The 31-year-old photographer was on the same flight as her ex-boyfriend, who bought the pair of tickets before they broke up, and as he continued to New York, she did not come with him.
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He is currently 'cooperating with police' after receiving a bizarre text message from her phone about a 'spiritual awakening'.
Since her family reported her as missing on 11 November, she has not been heard from, but now, two weeks on, her father has been found dead.
After he flew out himself to help with the search, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, was found dead at the bottom of a car park at LAX airport at approximately 4am on Sunday, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Though a coroner confirmed the father's death, the official cause has not yet been confirmed.
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He had been searching for his daughter for almost two weeks, and was reportedly seen on Friday, handing out flyers to Los Angeles residents, asking for any information on his daughter.
Following his death, the Kobayashi family released a statement via non-profit organisation the RAD Movement, saying: "The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today.
"After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah's father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family's suffering immeasurably.
"What the family needs most in this difficult time is for all communities to rally around them with support, compassion, and prayers. Please be considerate with your comments and posts.
"The trauma they are enduring is profound, and they now face the additional burden of grieving the loss of their family's pillar and navigating next steps."
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Ryan spoke with news outlet KTLA on Monday (18 November) in an attempt to reach his daughter, stating 'I miss her', adding: “Just want her to know that, and just want her to reach out — anything.”
Hannah's aunt, Larie Pidgeon, spoke to the New York Post, last week, where she explained that surveillance footage seen by the family showing Hannah with an unidentified individual at the Pico Metro station had caused 'major alarm' for Hannah's loved ones and also 'kind of solidified the family’s suspicion that something has been awry'.
"It has made us extremely worried," Larie said.
The relative also further explained to KTLA 5: "She is not safe, and she is not alone."
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The development has only heightened the growing fears of Hannah's family, as she had also sent a series of concerning texts to people, such as her ex-boyfriend, before vanishing.
In one message to a friend, the missing Maui woman said she had 'got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds'.
Hannah is described as being 5ft 10ins and around 140lbs, with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin and freckles.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.