Missing college student's cause of death won't be released, but no foul play is suspected
Topics: Japan, World News, Alabama
Thomas Bamford
Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe
Topics: Japan, World News, Alabama
The body of a 20-year-old American college student who went missing during a family trip to Japan has been found in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, with police saying no foul play is suspected and confirming his cause of death will not be disclosed.
James "Weston" Higginbotham, a junior biosystems engineering student at Auburn University from Birmingham, Alabama, was last seen on CCTV on the night of May 29, walking alone in the Yamashina area of Kyoto on a path leading to hiking trails.
Volunteers located his body on June 6 after days of searches involving 50 police officers, K9 units and helicopters, hampered by wet and steep terrain in the wake of a typhoon.
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His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, broke the news in a statement shared on Facebook.
"Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto," she wrote.
"The grief we feel is impossible to put into words. 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."
The Higginbothams had been travelling together since May 25, arriving in Kyoto's Yamashina Ward on the same day Weston disappeared.
The family had been tracking his movements via the Life360 app, but his phone lost network at 8:29pm on May 29, cutting off all contact.
His mother said him turning off his location was out of character. "He is not detained from a night out partying.
The police have confirmed this," Nancy wrote in an earlier appeal, adding: "He may be emotionally distressed, so this is urgent. We are living in our own hell."
Before Weston went off to explore on his own, while the rest of the family visited a temple, the pair had argued. Nancy later told NBC News the disagreement had been about her use of ChatGPT during the trip.
"We try never to use it and I totally agree with him," she said. "It was just a dumb, dumb argument to have."
Weston was described by his parents as an experienced hiker and excellent navigator, and was believed to have been heading in search of walking trails when he disappeared. He was last captured on CCTV at around 8pm, walking alone near a path that leads into the mountains.
In the days between his disappearance and the discovery of his body, his parents released video appeals urging people across Japan to share his image. "Every time that you guys repost on social media, it's an opportunity for somebody in Japan to see it," his father Keith said. "Our ultimate goal is for people in Japan to see Weston's face so that they can report back to us."
A prayer vigil was held in Alabama on June 2.
Auburn University said it had been aware of Weston's disappearance and had reached out to the family. "Our thoughts are with Weston, his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time," a spokesperson said.
In her announcement of his death, Nancy paid tribute to the global outpouring of support the family had received. "The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives," she wrote.
"We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston. We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss. We will always love you, Weston."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].