The family of James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old college student from Alabama, is actively searching for him in Japan after he went missing in the Kyoto area. Weston, a junior at Auburn University, was last seen walking alone in a mountainous region after a disagreement with his mother over the use of AI navigation tools.

Timeline of Events

The Higginbotham family traveled to Japan to celebrate the high school graduation of Weston’s younger brother. During their visit, they explored several cities, including Tokyo and Kyoto. On the day of his disappearance, Weston had a disagreement with his mother about her use of ChatGPT for navigation, which led him to explore Kyoto on his own.

Using the Life360 app, his parents tracked his movements until his location was turned off, which was unusual for him. CCTV footage later captured Weston walking alone in the Yamashina area, a heavily forested region on the border of Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. The family reported him missing to local authorities early the next morning.

Search Efforts

Despite a police search involving over 100 officers, helicopters, and K-9 units, the official search was scaled back after 72 hours. The family, however, remains committed to finding Weston. They have connected with the US Embassy and the FBI, and are utilizing a GoFundMe campaign to support their search efforts.

The family has hired a search and rescue team and is working with local volunteers, particularly those experienced in hiking, to comb the forests of Yamashina. Their efforts cover a 5-mile radius from where Weston was last seen.

The Higginbothams’ determination underscores the importance of family and community support in times of crisis. They continue to hope for Weston’s safe return, with the support of their community back home in Birmingham.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.