The family of missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi has pulled back their search efforts, citing death threats received on Facebook as they continue to seek answers privately.
On Sunday, the "Help Us Find Hannah" Facebook page, which had served as a hub for updates and community involvement in the search, was taken down, according to the Daily Mail.
According to a post from an anonymous user, Hannah's sister, Sydni, and mother, Brandi Yee, made the decision after receiving alarming messages targeting them and their children.
"While Sydni and her mother believe the greater majority of the individuals on this page genuinely care and are interested in helping find Hannah, the negativity and attacks on their family have become more than they can bear," the statement read.
The post also revealed the family received recent threats, prompting them to file formal complaints with the FBI. "As recent[ly] as yesterday, there were threats against their lives and the lives of their small children," the message noted.
The decision comes amid growing frustration with law enforcement. Hannah's family expressed anger over a Los Angeles police chief's public statement suggesting she had "intentionally" missed her November 8 flight to New York City.
Kobayashi, 30, arrived from Hawaii at Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8. She was scheduled to get on a connecting flight to New York City, but never boarded.
During a Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners meeting Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Kobayashi's failure to board her flight was planned on her part.
"On Friday, Nov. 8, 23-year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York, which the investigation determined was intentional," McDonnell said. "Over the next few days, she maintained contact with her family and remained active on Instagram."
"After receiving concerning text messages and losing further contact, her family traveled to LA on Nov. 13 and filed a missing person report. On Nov. 15, our missing persons unit assumed investigative responsibility. Detectives have been diligently been reviewing video surveillance and employing various investigative techniques to locate Hannah, while her family has continued their personal search efforts," he said, adding that Hannah's father, Ryan Kobayashi, died by suicide at LAX two weeks into his daughter's disappearance.
On Saturday, Hannah's sister, Sydni Kobayashi, and their mother, said they were "unaware about the alleged findings," and disagreed with parts of the investigation announced during the meeting earlier in the week, pointing out the incorrect age and timeline of Hannah's disappearance offered by McDonnell.
"Based on information, surveillance footage reviewed and information shared with us, these are the facts known to my mother and I: It does not appear that Hannah intentionally missed her flight," Sydni wrote on Facebook over the weekend, according to KTLA-TV.
"The lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments. However, we do remain hopeful and optimistic that the Los Angeles Police Department is doing everything in their power to assist us in locating Hannah."
"We are devastated by Hannah's disappearance and now my father Ryan's passing. It is completely out of character for Hannah to simply disappear without a trace. We remain deeply concerned about Hannah's safety, her well-being and her current state of mind," the statement continued.
