The search for Hannah Kobayashi continues three weeks after a LAX flight went missing

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Three weeks after a Hawaiian woman disappeared in Los Angeles, her family vows to continue searching for her mysterious disappearance amid disturbing text messages.

Hannah KobayashiThe 30-year-old woman was last heard from on Nov. 11, after she missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York at Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8, her family said.

On November 24, her father, who was trying to find his daughter, was found dead near the Los Angeles airport by apparent suicide, police said.

Surveillance videos showed her at a Los Angeles mall and train station, and strange messages and online payments have since only deepened the mystery of her disappearance.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said police had determined that Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the Kobayashi family in this unimaginable time of mourning,” McDonnell said at a meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners. “We remain fully committed to finding Hannah and supporting the family through this tragedy.”

On Friday, the LAPD did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for further updates on the investigation. USA TODAY also contacted the organization representing the family.

Here’s what we know:

Who is Hannah Kobayashi?

Kobayashi is described According to the LAPD, he is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 140 pounds description. He has brown hair, hazel eyes and freckles on his face, and usually wears glasses. He has a tattoo of a heart with a knife on his right forearm.

Friends described her as creative and enterprising and an aspiring photographer, – CNN reported. She planned to go to New York to visit her aunt and was also planning to take photos at a concert in Brooklyn in mid-November, her family told the Journal.

Kobayashi was on the same plane to New York as her ex-boyfriend. They kept the tickets because they couldn’t get a refund and planned to go their separate ways after landing in New York, Kobayashi’s sister said Los Angeles Times.

CNN reported that the ex-boyfriend was on a connecting flight, but that didn’t happen.

What did Kobayashi do after missing his plane?

The day after she missed her flight, the LA Times reported that Kobayashi went to a bookstore at The Grove shopping center in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. The aunt told the newspaper she sent a photo of the book to a relative. Using the details in the photo, the family later went to that bookstore and confirmed that they had been there and that they had filled out the newsletter form.

She also sent two payments via Venmo to two people her family didn’t recognize, CNN reported. Police say she was still active on Instagram.

On November 10, she was identified in a promotional video for a LeBron James Nike event at The Grove. She also published a photo from the event Instagramher last public post in which she tagged the LA Times.

Applies to text messages before they disappear

Family and police said the family began receiving disturbing text messages after Kobayashi missed her flight. Kobayashi’s messages had nothing to do with her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, she told USA TODAY. These included strange phrases and no emojis.

In the messages, Kobayashi said she felt unsafe, CNN reported. She texted that someone was trying to steal her money and identity. In another piece, CNN reported that she wrote that she was “scammed” and gave away all her funds. “For someone I thought I loved,” another message said.

CBS reported that one of her messages said she had completed a “very intense spiritual awakening” and was returning to the airport but “may need assistance getting there.”

The last day the family made contact with her was November 11 screenshots of text messages in an interview with USA TODAY, Kobayashi said she was on her way to the airport.

“I have safe passage” and “I’ll keep you posted,” she said, later adding “Matrix style.”

In subsequent messages she said: “I am safe”, “I love you”, “Don’t worry”, “For everyone’s sake”, “I will keep you updated”, “I promise” and “I will call you”. Soon.”

On November 11, surveillance cameras showed Kobayashi at LAX, but she never boarded the plane. Pidgeon said she spoke to an American Airlines agent some time after 4:30 p.m.

That was about the last time her phone was turned on at LAX.

Where was Kobayshi last seen?

That night, CCTV footage captured Kobayashi in downtown Los Angeles. She was at the Pico metro station, near the Crypto.com Arena, with an unidentified person.

On November 12, Kobayashi’s family announced that they had filed a missing persons report. The LAPD announced her as missing on November 15.

Kobayashi’s search is gaining a lot of attention on the Internet and in Los Angeles volunteers organized groups to look for her on the streets.

Days later, police found her father, Ryan Kobayashi, dead in a parking lot near Los Angeles on November 24. Ryan searched for his daughter in the Los Angeles area for almost two weeks.

The family confirmed that he died by suicide. Police Chief McDonnell said preliminary findings indicate it was a suicide.

Pidgeon told USA TODAY that the last few weeks had been difficult before she learned of her brother-in-law’s sudden death.

“He just died of a broken heart,” Pidgeon said. “Being on the street and seeing what the possibilities are for where his daughter could be. No sleep. Speculative rumors circulating. It just took a toll on him.”

Anyone with information on Kobayashi’s whereabouts is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-527-3247 or Council Movement at 619-904-0840.

Contributions: Anthony Robledo and James Powel

(This story has been updated to add new information.)