Family of Auburn Student Found Dead in Japan Mourns ‘Unimaginable Loss’ After Disappearance
The family of James “Weston” Higginbotham, the 20-year-old Auburn University junior whose remains were discovered in a wooded area outside Kyoto, has broken their silence on the tragedy, describing their grief as “impossible to put into words.”
Weston’s mother, Nancy Higginbotham, took to social media on Saturday to confirm that her son had been found dead after a volunteer search-and-rescue team located his body. “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 in a statement alongside her husband, Keith.
Weston, a biosystems engineering major from Alabama, was last seen on closed-circuit television exiting a train in Yamashina, a district in the eastern part of Kyoto, around 7 p.m. on May 29. His phone showed no activity after that evening. The family had been traveling together since May 25, and Nancy later told NBC News that Weston had walked away following a heated argument over ChatGPT, leaving them worried he was “emotionally distressed.”
The search for Weston drew widespread attention from both Japanese authorities and an international community of volunteers. Local police deployed 50 officers, K9 units, and helicopters on June 3, but operations were hampered by steep, rain-soaked terrain. A typhoon that swept through the region further complicated ground efforts. Nancy had posted earlier asking for volunteers to join the search, noting that she and her husband had attempted to search at night with flashlights but were deterred by wildlife.
In her emotional post, Nancy thanked “the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston’s story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts.” She added that the outpouring of kindness “carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”
The Higginbothams have asked for privacy as they navigate what Nancy called “this unimaginable loss.” She concluded her statement with a simple, heartbreaking line: “We will always love you, Weston.”
The case has highlighted the challenges faced by families of missing travelers abroad, especially when language barriers, difficult terrain, and extreme weather converge. It also underscores the growing role of social media in mobilizing search efforts across borders.
Read the original article on People.