A 20-year-old college student from Alabama has been missing for five days after a trip to Japan, with his family saying they are trapped in “hell” as the search intensifies.
James “Weston” Higginbotham, a student at Auburn University, traveled overseas and then vanished shortly after arriving in Kyoto.
According to his parents, he is an “experienced hiker” who may have been looking for walking routes before he was last seen in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward on May 29.
They say his phone’s location services stopped shortly after he got off a train in the area, and they have not heard from him since.
His family has now traveled to Japan as they work with authorities and ask the public to share any information that could help bring him home.
In a post online, his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, wrote: “He may be emotionally distressed, so this is urgent.
“We are living in our own hell. He is not detained from a night out partying. The police have confirmed this. Please, I beg you, be kind. I’m already in so much pain.”
She also urged anyone who might spot him not to broadcast his precise location publicly, and said he was last seen wearing a white shirt featuring a graphic that reads “Save the Bees.”
Nancy described her son as an “excellent navigator,” adding to the belief that he may have been exploring on foot when he disappeared.
She also noted that Japan is widely regarded as a very safe country, and said: “Its people are some of the friendliest and most helpful you’ll ever meet. They are masters at collaboration in times of crisis.”
On June 2, Weston’s parents shared a video update thanking supporters for their messages and prayers during the ongoing search.
“We really feel them,” his father, Keith Higginbotham, said.
The couple emphasized the importance of continued sharing online, explaining: “Every time that you guys repost on social media, it’s an opportunity for somebody in Japan to see it.
“Our ultimate goal is for people in Japan to see Weston’s face so that they can report back to us.”
While the family remains desperate for answers, they say they are holding onto hope. A prayer vigil was held in Alabama on Tuesday (June 2) as loved ones and community members rallied behind them.
“We’re continuing to get closer and closer to finding him,” they claimed.
Weston is studying environmental engineering and is described by those close to him as a strong student who has traveled extensively.