HANNAH Kobayashi has returned to the US for the first time since she vanished over a month ago and sparked a huge manhunt.
The 30-year-old was found in Mexico last month with her sister now revealing she didn’t want to return home.
Hannah first vanished from Los Angeles after landing in the city by plane on November 8 before reappearing suddenly weeks later.
She is said to have contacted her mum over the phone to tell her everything was okay while still being across the border in Mexico.
The photographer, originally from Maui, is believed to have now come back to the US, according to reports.
Hannah is said to be in California and in a good condition.
She returned based on her own free will, US media added.
American officials reportedly spoke with her as she returned to check if she was healthy and in good spirits.
She was then greeted by her lawyer before leaving him after a brief conversation, TMZ claim.
Sara Azari, the lawyer for Hannah’s family, has confirmed that she wasn’t aware of her arriving in California.
She added that Hannah isn’t believed to have had a lawyer sparking more mystery over who arrived to see her at the border.
Despite her return to the US, Hannah is still not believed to have seen her family either.
It is also still unclear where she is staying.
It comes just days after relieved sister Sydni said Hannah “does not wish to return to us”.
Speaking to the local media, she mentioned that they had only communicated with her over the phone and that reports indicated she was found safe with her aunt, Larie. However, she expressed that the individual did not want to reunite with them at the moment.
“At this time, my mother and I have not physically seen Hannah.”
Hannah’s disappearance sparked a frantic search and police investigation into what may have made the family-orientated woman suddenly take off.
Kobayashi initially had a layover in Los Angeles, where she was expected to catch a connecting flight to New York City on November 8.
However, she missed her 42-minute window to board and ended up stuck in the city.
In the days following she sent cryptic texts to her family before going off the grid completely.
Hannah Kobayashi’s family statement
Hannah Kobayashi’s family released a statement through their attorney once finding out the photographer was safe, it said…
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe.
Reflecting on the challenging past month, she acknowledged the overwhelming experience her family had gone through. Therefore, she respectfully requested privacy to allow time for healing and processing the recent events.
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time.
“Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
Crowds of volunteers soon started to canvas the city and hunt for clues in her disappearance.
This included her family who jetted to the US to help in the hunt.
The case took a tragic turn when Kobayashi’s dad, Ryan, died by suicide in a Los Angeles parking garage on November 24.
He had spent weeks of searching for his daughter and died of a broken heart, the family announced.
It’s unclear whether Hannah is aware of her dad’s death yet.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Despite Hannah’s sudden reemergence, many unanswered questions about why the aspiring photographer went missing in the first place remain.
Family members described Kobayashi’s travel to the Big Apple as one of her “bucket list trips.”
Kobayashi, who has a keen interest in art, had a detailed plan for her visit to New York. This included scheduled visits to renowned art institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, immersing herself in Manhattan’s vibrant art scene, and spending time with her aunt, Geordan Montalvo.
In the days after she stopped contacting her loved ones, Kobayashi was caught on surveillance footage strolling around Los Angeles.
She even made stops at a bookshop at The Grove, a shopping mall about an hour from Los Angeles International Airport.
On November 11, she uploaded a picture from a Nike event to her Instagram account before shutting off her cell phone.
Then, on November 12, unbeknownst to her family, Kobayashi boarded a bus from Union Station to San Ysidro, San Diego.
From here she crossed the border into Tijuana, Mexico, by foot, alone and carrying luggage.
Cops deemed her disappearance as “voluntary” once they saw she had crossed into Mexico.
This then further fuelled theories that the traveller may have been involved in a green card marriage scam.
A green card marriage scam typically involves a non-American person marrying an American citizen to obtain legal residency via a green card.
Speculation started to swirl after a picture of Kobayashi appearing to marry an Argentinian man before her trip to Los Angeles circulated on the internet.
However, Hannah’s family told The U.S. Sun last week that the family is completely in the dark about any alleged marriage.
HANNAH Kobayashi sparked a massive search after missing a flight to New York during a layover in Los Angeles. Here is a timeline of events in the case.
Friday, November 8: Hannah leaves her home in Maui and arrives in Los Angeles for a connecting flight to New York City. She has 42 minutes to make the flight at 11 pm.
Saturday, November 9: Hannah is meant to land at JFK airport in New York City at 7 am but never arrives. She is seen at a bookshop at The Grove, an hour from the Los Angeles airport.
Sunday, November 10: Hannah sends a message saying she’s scared and worried about someone trying to steal her money and identity, alongside several other cryptic texts. She’s later seen at a Nike event at The Grove in Los Angeles.
Monday, November 11: Hannah’s phone data puts her back at LAX. She posts a picture on her Instagram account from the Nike event. Her phone is then turned off.
Tuesday, November 12: Unbeknownst to her family, Hannah catches a bus from Union Station down to San Ysidro, San Diego, and crosses the border into Tijuana, Mexico.
Wednesday, November 13: Family files missing person’s report and flies to LA to search for her. They are informed she was last seen at Pico Station in Downtown Los Angeles with an unidentified male.
Sunday, November 24: After scouring LA’s Skid Row and other areas for nearly a week, Hannah’s dad Ryan takes his own life and is found dead in a Los Angeles parking lot.
Monday, December 2: Cops announce Hannah was spotted in surveillance footage crossing into Mexico from the US on November 12 and say she wanted to step away from modern connectivity. The investigation is paused.
Tuesday, December 3: Hannah’s family vows to keep looking for her in a statement released by their attorney.
Wednesday, December 11: The attorney of the Kobayashi family announced Hannah was located safe.
Monday, December 16: Hannah returns to the US.
