A Hawaii woman’s disappearance en route to a “bucket list” trip to New York City has raised alarm after unsettling text messages suggested she had been tricked out of her money and identity.
Hannah Kobayashi, 31, from Haiku, was travelling to visit her aunt in New York when she sent a series of cryptic texts to a friend. In one message, Kobayashi claimed she had “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds” and blamed “deep hackers” for stealing her identity and money.
According to HawaiiNewsNow, she also mentioned possibly heading to a homeless shelter or taking a bus “to the redwoods,” apologising for the “craziness” and “weird s–t. ”
Kobayashi had flown from Maui to Los Angeles on November 8 with plans to connect to a New York-bound flight. Surveillance footage confirmed her arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), but she missed her connecting flight, leaving her family deeply concerned.
Her mother, Brandi Yee, said she last received a brief message from Kobayashi confirming she had yet to reach New York but has had no further contact. A video later surfaced suggesting Kobayashi was still in Los Angeles on Saturday, where she was reportedly spotted at an event.
Kobayashi’s phone has been off since Monday, with its last known location pinned to LAX.
Family members doubted the authenticity of the texts, saying the tone did not sound like Kobayashi. Her aunt, Laurie Pidgeon, who was set to meet her in New York, revealed that in one message, Kobayashi described experiencing a “very intense spiritual awakening.” In another, she apologised for “craziness” and claimed she was “definitely intercepted.”
Pidgeon and Yee said Kobayashi was eagerly anticipating her New York trip and had even created a handwritten itinerary with the phrase, “bucket list dreams become a reality.” She had also secured an expensive hotel room and event tickets.
The family has since filed reports with the LAPD, LAX authorities, and the FBI, urging anyone with information to come forward.
“This is so unlike Hannah,” Pidgeon said. “She’s very responsible. The more time that passes, the less we know what happens.”
Kobayashi is 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and freckles.
In an emotional plea, her aunt told KITV, “We will not stop until we find you. You have so many family and friends who love you so much. If you’re feeling scared or alone, you are not. We are with you.”
As of Friday morning, calls to Kobayashi’s phone go straight to voicemail, leaving her family and friends desperate for answers.