Best friend of student who is missing in Japan reveals last messages he sent to him
The best friend of a missing 20-year-old has shared the final texts he sent to him before the Alabama student's disappearance.
James 'Weston' Higginbotham had been traveling round the Kyoto area of Japan with his family last month. He went out exploring on his own on May 29 and the Auburn University student hasn't been seen since.
Weston was being tracked by his family on the Life30 app, but shortly after they text him to ask where he was going his location services were turned off. His mom, Nancy Higginbotham, said this was out of character for him, per CNN.
Around 6pm on the day of his disapperance, Weston was seen leaving Kyoto Station on his own.
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Several days on from his disappearance and his family have issued a public appeal in the hopes of finding their son.
Nancy penned on social media: "He may be emotionally distressed, so this is urgent. We are living in our own hell. He is not detained from a night out partying. The police have confirmed this. Please, I beg you, be kind. I’m already in so much pain."
Weston's parents have pledged to remain in Japan until their 20-year-old son is found.
In the days leading up to him going missing, Weston and his family met up with his friend Hiyu Shikari.
Hiyu went to school with Weston in the US before he relocated to Japan. He met up with the Higginbotham family on May 22 in Tokyo.
Speaking to The US Sun, Hiyu shared: "We had such a great time at a restaurant in Shinjuku, which is in Tokyo.
"Right after that, I tried to contact him on how he was doing in Kyoto, because I was in Kyoto a couple of weeks ago, and also the typhoon was coming as I was kind of worried, and I messaged him, ‘How’s the trip going?’ And that was after he went missing. And so I didn’t get any contact with him after I met him."
Hiyu added: "I’ve been doing what I can to spread awareness."
Weston's friend shared screenshots of his last messages to him with the news outlet.
His final text to Weston read: "Good evening! How’s the stay going? Hopefully yall are having a good time in Kyoto! Lmk [Let me know] if you need me to recommend you any places [sic]."
The text did not say if it had been successfully delivered to Weston's phone.
Niamh Shackleton