Weston Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student who went missing during a family trip to Japan, has been found dead outside Kyoto. His family confirmed the heartbreaking news Saturday after days of searching in mountainous terrain.
Search Ends In Tragedy
James “Weston” Higginbotham had been missing since May 29 while visiting Japan with his parents and brother. The family had been in Kyoto when he separated from them and went out on his own.
His body was found by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside the city. A cause of death has not been released.
The search had drawn attention in the United States and Japan as family members, local authorities and volunteers worked to find him. Search teams used police officers, K-9 units and helicopters while combing wooded areas and hiking trails near Kyoto.
A Family Trip Turns Heartbreaking
Higginbotham was a junior at Auburn University in Alabama, where he studied biosystems engineering. He was from Hoover, Alabama.
His family had traveled to Japan to celebrate his younger brother’s academic achievement. They had visited Tokyo and other areas before arriving in Kyoto.
After Higginbotham stopped responding to messages and his phone location was turned off, his parents reported him missing. Authorities reviewed surveillance footage, followed his movements and searched areas where they believed he may have gone hiking.
Family Asks For Privacy
In a public message, Higginbotham’s mother thanked the people in the United States, Japan and around the world who shared his story, prayed for the family and helped in the search.
She said the family is grateful for the time they had with Weston, but is now facing an unimaginable loss.
The family has asked for privacy as they grieve.