By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
Rafu Staff Writer
Friends and family of Hannah Kobayashi held a brief but emotional rally in front of the south entrance at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday afternoon, to give updates and again plead for any information about the missing 31-year-old resident of Maui.
Her family said Kobayashi was on her way from Hawaii to New York City on Nov. 8, but missed her connecting flight at LAX. Security video from the airport showed her leaving the same day.
The family added that Kobayashi posted a photo to her Instagram account, from a Nike event held Nov. 9 and 10 at The Grove, nearly 15 miles from LAX.
Kobayashi’s last known locations were at LAX on Nov. 11, where she reportedly bought a new airline ticket and the last ping from her cell phone was detected, and at the Metro Pico Station, two blocks from Crypto.com Arena. At that time, she was recorded exiting the train with a person that the family does not know.
Larie Pidgeon, Kobayashi’s aunt, said there were also “strange” text messages from Kobayashi that were completely out of character, about someone attempting to steal her identity.
A missing-person report was filed with LAPD on Nov. 12.
At the rally, Pidgeon helped organize a few dozen volunteers to canvas the area, post signs and hand out fliers, asking anyone who would listen to take a picture if they think they see the missing woman and to call police.
“We’re trying to use the buddy system to hand out fliers and spread the word, hoping somebody has seen something,” Pidgeon said. “It’s a little bit of a hail Mary, but we’ve got to try everything we can to find her.”
With several news cameras recording her remarks, Pidgeon added a message to Kobayashi: “We love you.”
Also attending the rally was Ryan Kobayashi, Hannah’s father, who said he has been estranged from his daughter of late, but promised to mend their relationship once she is located.
“This is something you can’t put into words. It’s overwhelming,” he said. “We’re trying to be hopeful. Words like ‘a(chǎn)bduction’ have come up, but we’re doing all we can to be positive.”
Pidgeon added that since arriving in Los Angeles to search for her niece, the days have been been chaotic, confusing and exhausting. She said the family has fears Kobayashi might have become a victim of trafficking, but feels since LAPD still hasn’t determined that a crime has been committed, the agency is not taking the matter seriously enough.
“There are a lot of words that are spoken or going through our heads, but the word ‘urgency’ is the one that keeps coming up. We now know what that means,” she said.
LAPD has described Hannah Kobayashi as 5’10”, around 140 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes and freckles. She has a tattoo of a knife on one forearm and was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and tie-dyed leggings and carrying a forest green backpack.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call the LAPD at (877) LAPD-24-7, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
Photos by MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS/Rafu Shimpo