TOKYO, JAPAN — An Auburn University student missing in Japan since last week was found dead by volunteers searching a mountainous area near Kyoto, his mother said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
James "Weston" Higginbotham, 20, was reported missing on May 29 while on a trip with his family, after he stopped responding to his family's messages on the phone and turned off his location, according to authorities.
"The grief we feel is impossible to put into words," his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, said Saturday.
James "Weston" Higginbotham, who went missing in Japan, is shown in an unidentified location in this still image obtained from social media and released on June 3, 2026.Nancy Higginbotham via Facebook via Reuters
"We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston," Nancy Higginbotham said. "We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss."
The Alabama native's cause of death is unclear at this time.
"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," Nancy Higginbotham said.
Nancy Higginbotham and Keith Higginbotham, parents of James "Weston" Higginbotham who went missing in Japan, speak at an unidentified location, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video and released on June 3, 2026.Nancy Higginbotham via Facebook via Reuters
On Thursday, investigators in Japan said they believe it is highly probable the biosystems engineering student left his family intentionally, but police were concerned for his safety, Kyoto Prefectural Police told ABC News.
Police expressed concern for his well-being because he does not speak Japanese and may not know his way around. Police want to find him safely and quickly.
Investigators have interviewed the family, followed Higginbotham’s movements after he left the hotel, examined items he left behind and reviewed CCTV.
