Aunt Hannah Kobayashi is appreciative “The search is not over,” she says, but she is alive.

Hannah Kobayashi’s aunt, Larie Pidgeon, expressed gratitude that the LAPD was able to locate an image showing Hannah crossing the border into Mexico on November 12. However, she remains deeply concerned for her niece’s safety and insists that the search continues. Despite the new development, Pidgeon emphasized that knowing Hannah crossed the border does not provide the answers she needs or alleviate her heartbreak. She noted that Hannah had not mentioned any plans to travel to Mexico, which raises alarm, especially since her niece has been completely disconnected from her phone and social media, behaviors which are out of character.

Pidgeon also referenced troubling text messages sent by Hannah on November 11, where she informed her family she hadn’t made it to NYC and mentioned meeting a man online and running out of money. These messages have left Pidgeon feeling even more worried.

Pidgeon has thanked the public for their ongoing support and emphasized that she will not stop searching for Hannah until she is certain her niece is safe, mentally well, and acting of her own volition. The family’s pain deepened after Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, who had been searching for his daughter, was found dead in a parking lot near LAX on November 24 in an apparent suicide.