James “Weston” Higginbotham’s mother has shared that the 20-year-old has been found dead.
Higginbotham had been visiting Japan with his family last month. On May 29, he set off to explore by himself.
It was the last time his relatives saw him, and the Auburn University student was reported missing soon afterward.
Following several days of searches and public pleas for help, his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, posted a devastating update.
She wrote on Facebook today (June 6): “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.”