Auburn Student Found Dead in Japan After Disappearance During Family Trip
James 'Weston' Higginbotham, a 20-year-old student from Auburn University, was found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, Japan. He had been missing for over a week after last being seen on May 29 during a family trip to celebrate his younger brother's high school graduation. The family extended their stay in Japan after Higginbotham went missing. A search effort was launched involving local police, helicopters, and volunteer search teams. His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, expressed deep gratitude for the support received from people across the United States, Japan, and around the world. The family had been traveling together for six days before deciding to take some space, during which Higginbotham stayed at the hotel while the rest visited a temple. He was last tracked to a train station in the Yamashina area, heading towards hiking trails.