The father of a 30-year-old Hawaii woman who went missing in Los Angeles just over two weeks ago has been found dead in a parking lot near the city’s airport, authorities said.
Ryan Kobayashi, the father of Hannah Kobayashi, was found dead by patrol officers responding to a call for a death investigation around 4 a.m. on Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to HuffPost.
His official cause and manner of death were not available through the Los Angeles County coroner’s office as of Monday morning, though a group searching for his daughter posted a statement on Facebook saying he had died by suicide.
“This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably,” the statement said before urging people to keep searching for the missing 30-year-old.
“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,” the statement read.
Ryan Kobayashi, 58, played an active role in the search for his daughter. He was seen passing out flyers on the streets and had represented his family in media interviews.
“We’re just hoping that she is safe and healthy and alive,” he said in an interview earlier this month withABC 7 News. “And if anybody knows anything, we’d just really appreciate any kind of help.”
As previously reported, Hannah Kobayashi was last heard from on Nov. 8 when her family said she left the Los Angeles International Airport during a short layover while heading from Maui to New York City with her ex-boyfriend.
Kobayashi and her ex had reportedly purchased nonrefundable flight tickets before they broke up, and her former boyfriend completed his trip to New York and has been cooperative with the investigation, her family has said.
Two days after Kobayashi was seen exiting the plane in Los Angeles, her Instagram account was updated to include a photo of a sign at The Grove shopping center in LA. There was no caption with the photo.
Her family said they had received a strange message from her phone number claiming that someone might have been trying to steal her money and identity, Larie Pidgeon, Kobayashi’s aunt, posted on Facebook.
Kobayashi was last seen on surveillance video near a downtown Metro train station on Nov. 11, accompanied by an unknown person, her family said.
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.