The body of James “Weston” Higginbotham, the Auburn University student who vanished during a family trip to Japan, was discovered Saturday in a mountainous area near Kyoto after an extensive search that lasted more than a week.

Weston, a 20-year-old engineering student, had been missing since May 29. His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced the tragic news in a Facebook post, saying a volunteer search-and-rescue team located him in the mountains outside Kyoto.

No official cause of death has been released, and authorities have provided few additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death.

Weston had been vacationing in Japan with his parents and younger brother when he disappeared. According to family members, he chose not to join them on a visit to a temple and instead remained behind to spend time on his own.

Later that day, his parents noticed movement on a family tracking app and attempted to contact him through text messages, but they never received a reply.

Investigators later determined that Weston was last seen leaving a train station in Kyoto. His family believed he intended to explore one of the hiking routes in the surrounding mountains, an activity that matched his passion for nature and outdoor adventure.

Speaking during the search effort, Nancy Higginbotham said she feared her son may have become injured or lost in the vast wilderness surrounding the city.

Authorities launched a large-scale search operation involving more than 100 police officers, search dogs, and helicopters. After several days without success, officials informed the family that their organized search of the mountainous region had concluded.

The Higginbothams then hired a professional rescue team and continued searching with volunteers.

The Final Trail Through Yamashina

According to local authorities, Weston left Kyoto Station alone around 6 p.m. on May 29.

Security camera footage later captured him around 8 p.m. in Kyoto’s Yamashina district, walking by himself along a route that leads toward hiking trails and forested mountain areas.

Yamashina sits on the eastern edge of Kyoto and borders neighboring Shiga Prefecture. Although the local train station is relatively small, it serves four rail lines and is only one stop from Kyoto Station, one of the busiest transportation hubs in Japan.

The district is surrounded by rugged mountain terrain, including parts of the densely wooded Higashiyama mountain range. The area is known for steep hiking paths, thick forests, and remote sections that can be difficult to access.

Search efforts became even more challenging after a typhoon approached the Kyoto region during the week. Heavy rain raised concerns about trail conditions and increased fears for Weston’s safety if he remained in the mountains.

Police noted during the search that it was possible Weston had already moved beyond the area being examined, adding another layer of uncertainty to the investigation.

The discovery of his body on Saturday ultimately brought a heartbreaking end to the search for the Alabama college student, whose disappearance had drawn attention and support from both Japan and the United States.

Source: timesnownews