Ryan Kobayashi: Father of woman who vanished in Los Angeles reportedly takes his own life as search continues
The father of a missing woman who vanished after travelling from Hawaii to Los Angeles has reportedly taken his own life amid the search for his daughter.
Ryan Kobayashi has retraced the steps of his daughter Hannah, traveling from Maui to LA, after she went missing earlier this month. She was reported missing after she missed her connecting flight to New York on November 8, with “strange and cryptic” messages alarming family members.
Ms Kobayashi, 31, is said to have told her family that she had begun to explore the area after missing her flight before beginning to send the alarming messages. The messages included references to her being “intercepted” while travelling on a train, as well as Ms Kobayashi seeming to voice concerns that her identity was being stolen.
According to NBC News, one message received by her family stated: "I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds for someone I thought I loved."
Mr Kobayashi flew to L.A alongside other family members and volunteers to assist with the search. However, 13 days after landing in the city, he was found dead inside a car near LA International Airport (LAX), with signs that he took his own life.
In a statement, the family said: "After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah's father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family's suffering immeasurably."
The family added that while they grieve for Mr Kobayashi, they want the public to “maintain focus on the search” for Hannah. They said: “Hannah IS still actively missing and is believed to be in imminent danger. It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah."
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