A 20-year-old college student who disappeared during a family vacation in Japan has was found dead after an intensive search, his family announced.
The body of James “Weston” Higginbotham, an Auburn University junior from Alabama, was discovered on Saturday in a mountainous area near Kyoto, according to statements from his loved ones.
“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. The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” Higginbotham’s mother, Nancy, wrote on Facebook. “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.”
Higginbotham vanished on May 29 while traveling in Japan with his family. Authorities previously said he was last seen on surveillance video at Yamashina Station in Kyoto after separating from relatives during the trip. His cellphone stopped transmitting location data shortly afterward.
The disappearance sparked a massive search effort involving Japanese police, K-9 teams, helicopters and volunteers. Higginbotham’s parents also traveled through the region searching for clues and appealing to the public for help finding their son. Search conditions were complicated by steep terrain and severe weather, including a typhoon that swept through the area during the operation.
Higginbotham’s mother thanked supporters around the world who shared information and prayed for the family during the search.
“We are deeply grateful to 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. 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,” she added. “Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston.Comment with Bubbles
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Japanese authorities have not yet released a cause of death, and the circumstances surrounding Higginbotham’s disappearance remain under investigation.
AloJapan.com