A 30-year-old Hawaii woman at the center of a missing person search in Los Angeles willfully crossed into Mexico, seemingly as part of her desire to "disconnect," police said Monday.
The case involving Hannah Kobayashi, of Maui, has been reclassified as one involving a "voluntary missing person," but it will be kept open until police are assured she's safe, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Monday night.
McDonnell added that there’s no evidence Kobayashi is the victim of human trafficking or foul play.
Lt. Douglas Oldfield, of the police department’s Missing Persons Unit, said at the news conference that detectives reviewed Kobayashi’s social media accounts, which led them to believe she "wanted to disconnect."
"By looking at her past social media, we then saw indications that there were some desires or posts that would be consistent in somebody who would have the desire to disconnect from their phone," he said.
He said that detectives can't say they're "100% right" about their determination but that they know she didn't have her phone after she left Los Angeles International Airport.
The news conference was held after NBC Los Angeles reported family members were surprised when McDonnell told the Los Angeles Police Commission last week that Kobayashi intentionally missed a connecting flight to New York City after having landed in Los Angeles on Nov. 8.
On Monday, McDonnell said Kobayashi had her luggage rerouted from New York City back to Los Angeles, where she picked it up on Nov. 11.
That missed flight put her in Los Angeles, where she lost touch with family members, sparking concern and eventually prompting them to report her missing to the Los Angeles International Airport Police Department and the FBI, they have said.
Security video showing Kobayashi with an unknown man in Los Angeles sparked more fear, as did text messages in which Kobayashi said someone was trying to steal from her, family members said in interviews last month.
Police said Monday that the man seen in security video with Kobayashi in Los Angeles was found and cooperated with investigators, who concluded there was no wrongdoing.
Family members also expressed dismay because McDonnell, in his customary report to the police commission, misstated Kobayashi's age as 23, according to NBC Los Angeles. They said he got the date she was reported missing wrong, as well, the station reported.
“We are deeply grateful for the urgency and dedication law enforcement has shown in investigating Hannah’s disappearance. Our family remains hopeful that Hannah is safe and urges everyone to continue the search. The search is far from over, and we are committed to doing everything possible to bring her home safely," the family said in a statement.
"We want answers and a resolution that ensures Hannah’s safety and urge law enforcement and the public to stay focused on finding her and to avoid speculative conclusions. Spreading awareness and sharing verified information about her case is crucial, and we deeply appreciate your continued support in these efforts.”
Kobayashi landed at LAX from Honolulu at 9:53 p.m. on Nov. 8, with plans to catch an 11 p.m. connecting flight to New York City, sister Sydni Kobayashi said in a timeline posted to the private "Help Us Find Hannah" Facebook page.
Hannah Kobayashi planned to visit New York City's Museum of Modern Art and absorb Manhattan's art scene, as she aspired to be an artist and a photographer, family said.
But Kobayashi missed her connecting flight to New York because there wasn't enough time for her to get from her arrival gate to the departure gate, Kobayashi'a aunt, Larie Pidgeon said in an interview last month.
Relatives said Kobayashi used her time — during which they believed she was waiting for a suitable flight to New York — sightseeing in Los Angeles.
