The search for James ‘Weston’ Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student, concluded tragically when his body was discovered by a volunteer search-and-rescue team in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto, Japan. Higginbotham went missing during a family vacation, sparking a frantic search effort.

Dayslong Search Efforts

Weston vanished on May 29 after a disagreement with his mother over her use of ChatGPT for navigation, which he believed was detrimental to natural resources. His family used the Life360 app to track his movements, noting his visits to several stores before his location was turned off, an unusual behavior for him.

He was last seen on CCTV footage in the Yamashina area of Kyoto, heading towards a hiking trail. Given his love for hiking, authorities initiated a search of the nearby forest on June 2. However, a storm with heavy rain and wind hampered the search efforts.

The official police search, involving over 100 officers, K-9 units, and helicopters, concluded on Friday. The Higginbotham family then organized their own search with local residents and a hired search-and-rescue team, focusing on areas not covered by the police.

Family’s Heartfelt Gratitude

Following the discovery of Weston’s body, his family expressed their deep gratitude for the support and kindness they received during the search. ‘The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives,’ they stated, asking for continued prayers and support.

Weston was remembered as a passionate naturalist and a student of sustainability engineering at Auburn University. His mother described him as someone who loved to explore nature and different cultures, always carrying a book about butterflies during their trip.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.