LOS ANGELES — More than a week after 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed a connecting flight in Los Angeles, her family is desperately searching for answers after receiving a series of unsettling messages from her phone.
Kobayashi had been traveling with an ex-boyfriend, with whom she shared the same flight itinerary. The two were planning to go their separate ways after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. However, Kobayashi did not board her scheduled flight to New York after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8.
Sydni Kobayashi, Hannah’s sister, told CNN on Monday that after missing the flight, her sister’s whereabouts became unclear. “The last contact we had was on November 11, and since then, we’ve heard nothing,” Sydni said.
In the days leading up to her disappearance, the family received a series of suspicious texts from Hannah’s phone that didn’t sound like her usual communication style.
“She was using words like ’hun,’ ‘love,’ and ‘babe,’ which is not like her at all,” Sydni explained. “Her close friends have said the same. We’re worried something is very wrong.”
Sydni described Hannah as a grounded and calm individual who had never disappeared or acted erratically before.
On Nov. 9, Hannah was seen at the Taschen bookstore in The Grove, a popular shopping center in Los Angeles. The next day, she appeared in a video posted to YouTube at an event at the Nike store. However, these sightings have not led to any further clarity on her location or well-being.
The following day, Nov. 11, the family received a series of disturbing texts from Hannah’s phone. In one message, she claimed her identity had been stolen, stating, “Deep hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, and have had me on a mind f**k since Friday.” Another text sent to a friend described feeling unsafe and that she had been tricked into giving away her money.
The Los Angeles Police Department has classified Kobayashi’s case as a missing person investigation. The FBI is also assisting in the investigation.
On Sunday, Sydni posted to Facebook that the family had obtained surveillance footage showing Hannah near the downtown Metro station, but it was unclear when the footage was taken. In the video, she appeared to be in distress and was not alone. The family has not released additional details about the footage.