The family of a 20-year-old Alabama college student who went missing while travelling in Japan has shared a new video appeal, asking anyone with information to come forward and help bring him home safely.
James ‘Weston’ Higginbotham, who studies at Auburn University, has not been seen since May 29 after he arrived in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward.
His parents previously said he is an “experienced hiker” and suspect he may have been looking for local walking routes when he disappeared.
Investigators believe his phone stopped sharing its location shortly after he got off a train in the area, and there has been no communication from him since.
Earlier in the week, his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, urged people to alert police with any details that could help, writing online that “He may be emotionally distressed, so this is urgent.”
On Wednesday June 3, the family shifted to a video message, again asking the public to keep circulating posts and potential leads about their missing son.
In the clip, Weston’s father Keith said the continued sharing and public responses online are helping move the search forward, explaining that the family feels they are getting ‘closer and closer’ to finding him. He added: “We couldn’t do it without everyone’s support.”
Nancy also credited online sharing for widening awareness and helping ensure that tips are being followed up.
“Every time that you guys repost on social media, it’s an opportunity for somebody in Japan to see it. That is our ultimate goal, is for people in Japan to see Weston’s face so they could report back to us,” she said.
She also spoke about her son’s character, saying: “He has a heart of gold, and we all want him to come back safely.”
As the search approaches a week since his disappearance, the family says the window to locate him is increasingly important, though Keith said he believes Weston can still be found and brought back safe.
“We’re gonna find him because of everyone’s help in posting and getting the word out, so we can find the person who is gonna find him,” he told the camera.
At the same time, the family has also had to contend with unhelpful online speculation, as some commenters have offered theories rather than information that could assist the search.
Nancy addressed what she described as false claims and misunderstandings about the situation in a June 1 Facebook post, writing: “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.”
Soon after Weston went missing, Nancy and Keith flew to Japan and began attempting to retrace his movements. Their efforts, however, have been complicated by severe weather conditions, including a typhoon in the region.
“My husband and I went last night with flashlights and headlamps and didn’t get too far because we weren’t prepared for the wildlife we encountered,” Nancy wrote on Tuesday. “If anyone wants to join us after the storm, I would be grateful.”