Hawaiian photographer Hannah Kobayashi has said that she was “unaware” of the widespread media coverage and intense public interest surrounding her mysterious disappearance. Kobayashi spoke out for the first time on Monday, just a day after returning to the U.S. from Mexico, where she had reportedly been traveling solo for over a month.
She also confirmed she is now back in the States after disappearing from the Los Angeles International Airport last month to cross over to Mexico, leaving her family members scrambling for answers why she did so. Meanwhile, her father, who was frantically searching her along with the police, committed suicide, adding a twist to the entire incident.
Back in US and Happy
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She also confirmed her return to the U.S., saying, “At daybreak on December 15, I crossed the border back into the United States. My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity. I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time.”
“I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away, and I am still processing it all,” the 30-year-old wrote in a statement shared by her aunt, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Kobayashi re-entered California from Mexico over the weekend, where she was questioned by U.S. officials who inquired about her well-being, a source told TMZ. She reportedly appeared to be in good health and met with her attorney at the border before leaving with him. Kobayashi has since reunited with her family.
Lt. Doug Oldfield of the Los Angeles Police Department’s missing persons unit confirmed that her case is now closed.
He added that Kobayashi spoke with Customs and Border Protection and “did not appear to be under any distress.”
Kobayashi flew from Maui to Los Angeles last month, triggering a large-scale search when her family reported her missing on November 11—three days after she failed to board a connecting flight from LAX to New York.
Lost and Found
Kobayashi was not traveling alone on that flight; she was accompanied by her alleged new Green Card husband, Argentina native Alan Cacace, in what appeared to be an attempt to deceive immigration officials into believing their marriage was legitimate.
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Adding to the tangled situation, Kobayashi’s ex-boyfriend, Amun Miranda, was also on the same flight with his own supposed Green Card wife, Marianne—who, coincidentally, is Cacace’s girlfriend.
This complicated relationship dynamic, with all four people on the same plane, was reportedly made possible after Cacace allegedly paid Kobayashi $15,000, promising another payment once the immigration documents securing his U.S. residency were finalized.
The plan for their sham marriage was already in motion after the two wed in October. Photos from the ceremony were even shared with Kobayashi’s coworkers at Up ‘N Smoke, the Maui smoke shop where she was employed.
The Los Angeles police ultimately classified Kobayashi as a “voluntary missing person” and have now closed the case after her safe return.
