Missing Auburn University student found dead near Kyoto hiking trail

James “Weston” Higginbotham, an American student of Auburn University who went missing in Japan during a family vacation, has been found dead after a day-long search.

The 20-year-old’s body was recovered in a mountainous area outside Kyoto. The official cause of death of the Higginbotham has not been revealed yet.

His family announced the news of the passionate naturalist’s death in a social media post, stating, “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.”

Higginbotham’s mother, Nancy, thanked U.S., Japan residents and people all over the world who prayed for the family and offered encouragement. She said, “The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”

According to CNN, Higginbotham went on a solo journey to explore Kyoto after a considerable exchange about her use of ChatGPT and how much natural resources get sacrificed for such AI models.

He was last seen in CCTV footage on a path leading to a hiking trail. Based on the footage, Police decided to search the forest; however, their attempt was hindered by a severe storm.

Following the discovery of the body, the family paid a heartfelt tribute to their late beloved. In a Facebook post, his mother wrote, “We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like.”