Auburn University Student Located Deceased in Japan After Search

WHO:

CNN - James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student.

CNN - Nancy Higginbotham, Weston's mother.

WHAT:

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The search for James “Weston” Higginbotham lasted a week, concluding with the discovery of his body on a Saturday.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The family confirmed that Weston Higginbotham was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - A cause of death or further details were not immediately available following the discovery of his body.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The family thanked those who had shared their story and aided in the search, stating, “The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The family expressed their heartbreak in a social media post, stating, “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.”

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - James “Weston” Higginbotham was a biosystems engineering student at Auburn University.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The search for Weston concluded with the discovery of his body on a Saturday, following a 72-hour police search that ended on a Friday.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The family confirmed that Weston Higginbotham was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The search for Weston lasted a week, concluding with the discovery of his body on a Saturday.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - A cause of death or further details were not immediately available following the discovery of his body.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The body of Weston Higginbotham was found by a volunteer search-and-rescue group.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - A cause of death or more details were not immediately available.

CNN - Weston Higginbotham was found dead by a volunteer search-and-rescue group.

Fox News - His mother confirmed the news of his death.

NBC News - The search for Weston lasted a week.

CNN - The family expressed their heartbreak in a social media post, stating, “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.”

CBS News - A cause of death or further details were not immediately available.

WHERE:

CNN - Weston was found in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto, Japan.

CNN - He was last seen in the Yamashina area of Kyoto.

WHEN:

CNN - Weston was last seen on May 29.

CNN - The police search ended on a Friday, prior to the discovery of his body on a Saturday.

WHY:

CNN - Weston went missing after leaving his family to explore Kyoto on his own, following a disagreement with his mother regarding her use of ChatGPT for navigation.

HOW:

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The family launched their own search efforts on Saturday, focusing on areas of the forests of Yamashina that police did not search.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Higginbotham family launched their own search efforts on Saturday, with help from local residents and a hired search and rescue team, focusing on areas of the forests of Yamashina that police did not search.

[11:36 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Higginbotham family launched their own search efforts on Saturday, with help from local residents and a hired search and rescue team.

CNN - The search involved more than 100 police officers, K-9s, and helicopters.

CNN - The Higginbotham family launched their own search efforts with local residents and a hired search and rescue team.

(UPDATED June 7, 2026 09:53 UTC)

The search for James “Weston” Higginbotham, which lasted a week, concluded with the tragic discovery of his body by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto. While a cause of death has not yet been released, his family expressed their heartbreak on social media, stating, “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.” They also thanked everyone who supported them during this difficult time, saying, “The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”

(UPDATED June 7, 2026 04:16 UTC)

The search for James “Weston” Higginbotham, a biosystems engineering student at Auburn University, concluded tragically with the discovery of his body after a 72-hour police search. Following the official search, his family initiated their own efforts on Saturday, concentrating on areas of the forests of Yamashina that had not been covered by police. This heartbreaking development has left the community in mourning as they remember Weston.

(UPDATED June 6, 2026 21:16 UTC)

The family of Weston Higginbotham has confirmed that he was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto, concluding a week-long search that ended on a Saturday. The Higginbotham family had initiated their own search efforts, enlisting the help of local residents and a hired team to focus on areas in the forests of Yamashina that had not been covered by police. At this time, a cause of death or further details surrounding the discovery of his body have not been made available.

(UPDATED June 6, 2026 19:19 UTC)

The body of Weston Higginbotham was discovered by a volunteer search-and-rescue group, although a cause of death or further details have not yet been released. The Higginbotham family had initiated their own search efforts with assistance from local residents and a hired team, expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support they received during this difficult time. They stated, “The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”

(UPDATED June 6, 2026 17:18 UTC)

Weston Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student, was found dead in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto, Japan, after a week-long search that involved over 100 police officers, K-9s, and helicopters. His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, confirmed the heartbreaking news, stating that the grief they feel is impossible to put into words. Weston had gone missing after leaving his family to explore Kyoto on his own following a disagreement with his mother about navigation, and he was last seen in the Yamashina area on May 29.