West
Family of woman who went missing on cross-country vacation says cryptic texts sent from phone unlike her
Hannah Kobayashi’s family has gathered in Los Angeles to retrace the missing photographer’s steps after she missed her transfer flight to New York then disappeared after a series of cryptic messages and a brief appearance with an unknown man on surveillance footage near Skid Row.
The 31-year-old Oahu, Hawaii, resident had planned a vacation to see her aunt in New York City and flew from Maui to Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8, her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told Fox News Digital. She was elated about her first music photography gig in the city, had an involved trip itinerary and had paid thousands for her hotel room, Pidgeon said.
Kobayashi was scheduled to take a connecting flight to New York, with a 40-minute layover at 11 a.m., and planned to go to a show with her aunt, but she never got on that flight. Her family is unsure why.
Then friends and family received a flurry of bizarre text messages that didn’t match the young woman’s usual cadence. She texted a friend that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds” and that she was tricked “for someone I thought I loved.”
HAWAII WOMAN’S CRYPTIC TEXT MESSAGES PROMPT CONCERN AFTER DISAPPEARANCE
Hannah Kobayashi, 31, was last seen on surveillance footage from the Pico Metro station with an unknown man on Nov. 11. She never boarded her flight from LAX to JFK on Nov. 8. (Larie Pidgeon)
“There was not a single emoji. She’s an artist. … Instead of a … question mark, she would put a crystal ball – she’s just that cute – and there was none of that,” Pidgeon said on Thursday. “She said that someone was trying to steal her funds, not cash, not money, funds. Like, who uses that word?”
“She [wrote she] was having a spiritual awakening, that she was concerned about the matrix. It was just the most bizarre text messages. And it went from, ‘Hi, I can’t wait to see you guys. Love you. Everything’s great.’”
Before sending the messages, Kobayashi was seen talking to a ticketing agent and trying to get a direct flight to New York rather than waiting on standby, Pidgeon said.
Hannah Kobayashi is pictured on surveillance footage from LAX on Nov. 8. Her family says there is also surveillance footage from Nov. 11 showing her with an unknown man at the Pico Metro Station in downtown Los Angeles but that it has yet to be released to the public. (Missing People of America/Facebook)
Kobayashi’s mother reported her missing on Nov. 11, Pidgeon said, the day that communications from the woman’s phone to family and friends halted. Through their own investigative work, the family viewed surveillance footage of Kobayashi from that day with an unknown man near the Pico Metro station in downtown L.A.
“The Pico station is in a very bad neighborhood, [and] it was late at night,” Pidgeon said. “That causes us even more alarm because it’s not a place that Hannah would go. There’s no reason that she would go to a neighborhood of crime. Even if she said, ‘Hey, I need to go get a hotel room because I’m tired,’ there’s 18 hotels by the airport … she would have to have two transfer stations to get to this station.”
MOM 9 MONTHS PREGNANT MISSING FOR A MONTH, LAST SEEN AT BOYFRIEND’S HOUSE, FAMILY SAYS
Hannah Kobayashi’s family traveled to Los Angeles to distribute fliers near where she was last seen. (Larie Pidgeon)
“We can’t release the footage; we would love to get it released to the public by the LAPD,” Pidgeon said on Thursday. “We’ve seen it, we know that it’s out there, and we’re like, ‘Why is it not getting released?’ At this point it’s been 10 days, I feel like it could help so much in the investigation.”
Pidgeon said Thursday morning that the Los Angeles Police Department had yet to reach out since the family filed a missing persons report. Several hours later, Kobayashi’s family said that a detective had spoken to them.
The LAPD said on Thursday morning that it could not confirm whether they had viewed the surveillance footage or contacted the family, only that Kobayashi had been reported missing and that they had distributed a flier on their social media accounts.
Kobayashi also charged her phone with an employee within The Grove outdoor open-air mall and had filled out an application for a book club at the TASCHEN book store using her Hawaii address on Nov. 11, her aunt said. Witnesses there told the family that Kobayashi “was in good spirits” and said that “she had a little bit of time to explore in L.A.,” Pidgeon said.
SUZANNE SIMPSON’S HOME MAY BE SOLD AS MISSING REALTOR HUSBAND REMAINS BEHIND BARS IN MURDER CASE
Kobayashi sent mysterious texts to friends and family before losing contact entirely, writing that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all [her] funds.” (Larie Pidgeon)
“Every confirmed sighting that she has with an individual, she’s of sound mind,” Pidgeon said of her conversations with those who last spoke to her niece. “She’s happy, she’s kind. She doesn’t appear [to be] drunk or on any substances. … That is why we are here handing out fliers and flying in, because it is so unlike our character.”
Kobayashi’s family held a rally on Thursday at the Crypto.com Arena to hand out fliers and search the area near where she was last seen.
“We’re just running,” Pidgeon said. “You know, we’re just going down and up and down Skid Row.”
Pidgeon described her niece, pictured, as an outgoing person who makes those around her laugh and dabbles in fire spinning, DJing and charity work. (Larie Pidgeon)
“We want to do as many interviews as we can. The longer that we keep her name out there, the longer that she’s on the news, the better chance that her family has to get her back,” Pidgeon said. “I’ve become a press secretary, a journalist, a photographer. This is how much we love her.”
Pidgeon said the 31-year-old “does everything” and dabbles in fire spinning, DJing and charity work.
“She’s a pivotal person in her community, she’s a wonderful person, a great daughter, she makes everyone laugh,” Pidgeon said. “If I’m having a problem at 2 a.m., I can call Hannah because she’ll pick up.”
Hannah Kobayashi, 31, was heading to New York City to visit family. (Hannah Kobayashi via Instagram)
Friends and family have been making minute-long videos sharing memories of Kobayashi to distribute under the hashtag “#FindHannah.” Thus far, Pidgeon said, about 30 people have sent videos, a testament to “how incredible she is.”
“I’m just grateful for all the other best wishes and support from the community and Hawaii, New York, California, everywhere,” Kobayashi’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, told Fox News Digital. “You know, it’s just amazing. We miss you, Hannah. We love you.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the RAD Movement hotline at 619-904-0840.
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Seattle Storm lose 77-72 to Fire behind Carla Leite’s 20 points
SEATTLE, WA – JULY 4: Dominique Malonga #14 of the Seattle Storm drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Fire on July 4, 2026 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. (David Ryder / NBAE / Getty Images)
SEATTLE – Carla Leite scored 20 points to lead the Portland Fire to a 77-72 victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday night.
Leite made 4 of 8 shots and all 12 of her free throws, adding four assists for Portland (9-12). Bridget Carleton totaled 14 points and seven rebounds, while Megan Gustafson added 10 points and nine boards.
Dominique Malonga had 22 points to pace Seattle (5-17) and Natisha Hiedeman scored 15. Awa Fam had 12 points, while fellow rookie Flau’jae Johnson was held to a season-low one point.
Leite had two three-point plays to start the third quarter and Frieda Buhner came off the bench to score all nine of her points over a six-minute span as Portland turned a 32-30 halftime lead into a 54-47 advantage. Gustafson sank a 3-pointer for a 41-38 lead and the Fire never trailed again.
Emily Engstler had all nine of her points and six of her eight rebounds by halftime, helping Portland outscore Seattle 22-10 in the second period for a two-point lead at the break.
Hiedeman had nine points in the first quarter and Seattle used a 13-2 run over the final 5:27 to take a 20-10 lead before falling to 0-12 against Western Conference opponents this season.
Portland went 1-3 on a four-game trip.
Up next
Seattle: At Los Angeles Sparks on Monday.
Portland: Hosts Las Vegas Aces on Thursday.
The Source: Information in this story came from The Associated Press.
MORE STORM NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
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Flau’jae Johnson, Awa Fam lead Seattle Storm 105-90 over Dream
Flau’jae Johnson scores career-high 28 as Seattle Storm end losing streak with 99-88 win over Liberty
Seattle Storm losing streak reaches 10 with 93-73 loss to Mercury
Dominique Malonga scores career-high 28 points, but Seattle Storm lose ninth-straight 94-89 to Fire
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