United States: Hawaiian dad ‘dies of heartbreak’ while searching for missing daughter

A tragedy within a tragedy. The father of a Hawaiian woman missing since November 8 was found dead on Sunday at Los Angeles airport (California). Ryan Kobayashi had traveled from Maui to pick up his 30-year-old daughter Hannah. After thirteen days of unsuccessful efforts, the unfortunate man killed himself in a parking lot. According to the aunt of the missing young woman, Ryan “died of grief” at the thought of never seeing the apple of his eye again. “He was tireless, but he couldn’t take it anymore. He loved his daughter infinitely,” Larie Pidgeon told the Daily Beast.

The 58-year-old American moved heaven and earth to find Hannah’s trail, even exploring Skid Row, a deprived and dangerous neighborhood in Los Angeles. In vain. Last week, he told CNN that his relationship with his daughter was not in good shape before her disappearance. However, the authorities did not lose hope: on Monday, they told the family of the missing woman that they had reason to believe that Hannah was still around. “The police deployed a large part of their force and the searches were intensified. So we think she is still somewhere,” her aunt testifies.

Having left Hawaii, Hannah Kobayashi vanished on November 8 during a stopover in Los Angeles, while on her way to New York. The photographer was supposed to meet her aunt Geordan Montalvo there and attend a concert with her, but she never got on the plane to the Big Apple. According to those close to her, the thirty-year-old was seen on November 10 in a shopping center in Los Angeles. The next day, a surveillance camera captured her near a metro station in the company of an unidentified person. It was also on November 11 that the American posted for the last time on Instagram.

The day after Hannah’s disappearance, those around her received strange messages from her phone. “She said she was scared and that someone was trying to steal her money and her identity. Weird and cryptic messages… Things on the matrix… That didn’t look like him at all. And then all of a sudden, no more communication,” explains Larie. Since then, the thirty-year-old’s cell phone has been turned off.

Several family members traveled from Hawaii and New York to participate in the search. The RAD Movement, an association helping families of missing people, is also struggling, writes the BBC. “Hannah remains actively sought and is believed to be in immediate danger. It is essential that everyone remains vigilant,” the group warned on Facebook.

Are you already following us on WhatsApp?