James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University engineering student, was found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, Japan, his mother confirmed on Facebook Saturday. Higginbotham, who had been missing since May 29, was last seen leaving Yamashina Station in Kyoto. His family reported that his phone's location went dark after he separated from them during a family vacation. A volunteer search-and-rescue group discovered his body, though the cause of death remains undetermined.
Higginbotham's parents, Nancy and her husband, had been tracking his location via a family app and texted him after noticing his location move, but received no response. They believed he may have been heading to a nearby hiking trail. The search involved over 100 police officers, dogs, and helicopters, with the family hiring a professional rescue crew after Japanese authorities suspended their efforts.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Nancy Higginbotham expressed gratitude for the global support and prayers during the search. "We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like," she wrote. The family requested privacy as they navigate their loss.