(NEXSTAR) – Hannah Kobayashi, the Maui woman who voluntarily went missing in Los Angeles before crossing the border into Mexico last month, “does not wish to return” to her family in Hawaii, her sister said. Sydni Kobayashi shared the news Thursday in a lengthy statement posted to Facebook. “As you can imagine, we are all extremely relieved and glad that my sister is alive and seemingly okay, but we also have mixed and overwhelming feelings of exhaustion, devastation, and betrayal,” Sydni Kobayashi wrote. “We are kindly asking the public to respect our privacy and offer us grace for a moment as we are still grieving. There is still so much unknown, and so much that still needs to be navigated.” Ho ho, oh no: Man sought by police goes down chimney and gets stuck Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Maui, was headed to New York City on Nov. 8 but missed a connecting flight in Los Angeles. She told family she was sleeping at the airport that night and texted them the next day to say she was sightseeing in the city. A flyer with information on Hannah Kobayashi is displayed Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Her family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages, according to her aunt Larie Pidgeon. Family members, friends and local volunteers searched for Hannah in Los Angeles. Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, was among those who flew in from Hawaii to help in the search. He was found dead Nov. 24 in a parking lot near LA International Airport, according to the county medical examiner. Kobayashi’s family confirmed Ryan Kobayashi's death in a statement the same day, saying they “endured a devastating tragedy” and that he died by suicide. In early December, the Los Angeles Police Department announced they had evidence Kobayashi “voluntarily” went missing, and was seen crossing the border into Mexico of her own volition. A little over a week later, the LAPD learned she had been found safe in Mexico. “Now that we have this new information, this has become a private matter and we will wrap up our investigation,” the LAPD announced at the time. In Thursday’s Facebook post, Sydni Kobayashi confirmed she had spoken with her sister Hannah Kobayashi on the phone, and that she was safe in Mexico with their aunt Larie Pidgeon. “We have only spoken to her over the phone, and she was allegedly found safe with Larie, but at this time, she does not wish to return to us,” Sydni Kobayashi wrote. She added that she no longer considers her aunt to be “family,” but did not elaborate. (Pidgeon, speaking with NewsNation last week, indicated she had parted ways with the rest of the family over their decision to hire a family attorney; that attorney has claimed Pidgeon was trying to raise her own profile as an online influencer.) Rescue crews search for missing visitor off Kauai’s North Shore Sydni Kobayashi reiterated in her Facebook post that the money donated toward search efforts (and later funeral expenses for her father) had been collected in good faith. On Thursday, she also announced on GoFundMe that any donors who wished to be refunded could submit a claim to get the process started. “In due time, the truth will surface, and we will all get the answers we truly deserve,” Sydni Kobayashi wrote. “I stand by the choices I’ve made for my family, and we know where our hearts lie in this. “I would never wish this type of experience upon anyone, especially not back-to-back.” If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, please seek immediate professional help by calling the nationwide mental health crisis hotline by dialing 9-8-8 on your phone. The Associated Press contributed to this report.