The search for missing American student James “Weston” Higginbotham has come to a heartbreaking end.

James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, from Alabama, was traveling in the Kyoto area with his family when he went missing on May 29. According to reports, one of the last confirmed sightings of the Auburn University student was at Kyoto Station at around 6 p.m. that evening. Investigators, including the FBI, assisted in efforts to locate him after he was reported missing.

After extensive search efforts and widespread appeals for information, Weston’s family received the news they had feared.

James “Weston” Higginbotham was found dead

On June 6, Weston’s mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced on Facebook that her son had been found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto.

According to Kyoto police, Weston was discovered at approximately 2:35 p.m. by a volunteer search-and-rescue team. Officials told CNN that no foul play is suspected in the case, but according to VT they will not disclose the cause of death.

His family believes he traveled to Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward to access hiking trails in the area.

The search ultimately focused on the heavily forested Higashiyama mountain range, located along the eastern edge of Kyoto in the Yamashina Ward area.

According to his mom, Weston left his family after “bickering with each other” regarding the use of ChatGPT during the trip. 

“He just needed time by himself, just like we all did,” the mom said. “We just needed some separation.”

“Our family is heartbroken”

Police initially struggled to locate the student, but search teams continued combing the area before the tragic discovery was made roughly a week later.

Following the news, Weston’s family shared an emotional statement on social media.

“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.”

His mother, Nancy, also expressed gratitude for those who helped during the search.

“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,

“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.

“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.”

Japanese authorities have not released additional details about the investigation. Officials in the country are often limited in what information they can publicly disclose due to both legal and cultural practices surrounding ongoing investigations.

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