A 20-year-old Auburn University student from Alabama who went missing during a family vacation in Japan has been found dead, bringing a tragic end to a weeklong search that drew international attention. James “Weston” Higginbotham, a junior studying biosystems engineering at Auburn University, was found in a mountainous area near Kyoto on June 6, according to statements from his family. The cause of death has not yet been released by the authorities.His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, shared the news on Saturday that his body had been found by a volunteer search and rescue group. “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” Higginbotham wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. “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.”Weston had been visiting Japan with his parents and younger brother as part of a trip celebrating his brother’s high school graduation. He disappeared on May 29 after separating from his family while they were staying in the Kyoto area. Before Weston disappeared, he had an altercation with his mother over her overuse of ChatGPT. Weston, a naturalist, told his mother how much water the use of artificial intelligence takes.According to reports, surveillance footage showed Weston arriving at Yamashina Station in Kyoto at around 8:15 p.m. on the day he vanished. His mobile phone reportedly lost network connectivity minutes later, preventing further location tracking. Investigators believed he may have headed toward nearby mountainous terrain popular with hikers.Japanese authorities launched a large-scale search operation involving police officers, helicopters and K9 units. Search teams combed forests and mountain trails in the Yamashina area but were unable to locate him during the initial stages of the operation. The search was further complicated by difficult terrain and severe weather conditions, including heavy rain associated with a regional storm system.As official search efforts continued, Weston’s parents, Nancy and Keith Higginbotham, traveled through the search area and appealed for public assistance. Volunteers, local residents and supporters in both Japan and the United States helped circulate information about the missing student. Auburn University also expressed sympathy and concern for the family during the search.Authorities have not publicly disclosed the circumstances surrounding Weston’s death, and investigations are continuing. No foul play has been announced by officials as of Saturday.
