Search and rescue volunteers find body of missing Auburn student James “Weston” Higginbotham in Japan mountains

Search and rescue volunteers in Japan have found the body of Auburn University student James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, bringing a tragic end to a dayslong search after he went missing during a family trip.

Weston was found dead Saturday in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, his family confirmed in a social media statement, saying the discovery was made by a volunteer search-and-rescue group.

“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,” the family wrote.

Weston had been traveling with his parents and brother when he went missing on May 29. Described by loved ones as a passionate naturalist, he separated from his family after a disagreement with his mother over her use of ChatGPT to help navigate their trip and the environmental impact of the technology.

He was last seen alone in Kyoto’s Yamashina area, walking toward a path that leads into nearby forested hiking trails.

According to the family, a 72-hour police search of the heavily wooded terrain where Weston was last seen ended on Friday. That effort involved more than 100 officers, K-9 units, and helicopters combing the mountains around the area.

After official search operations were paused, the Higginbotham family launched their own expanded search on Saturday with support from local residents and a privately hired search-and-rescue team. Their efforts focused on parts of the Yamashina forest that had not been fully covered by authorities.

“We know he is out in these woods somewhere,” Weston’s mother, Nancy Higginbotham, wrote in a Facebook update earlier that day as the search continued.

Following the confirmation of his death, the family expressed gratitude to everyone who supported their efforts from around the world.

“The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives,” the family said. “Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston.”