OAN Staff Jenna Lee
2:17 PM – Saturday, June 6, 2026
The family of James “Weston” Higginbotham has confirmed that he was found dead after vanishing during a family vacation in Kyoto, Japan.
Weston’s mother announced in a Facebook statement on Saturday morning that her son’s body was discovered in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto by a volunteer search-and-rescue group.
“Our family is heartbroken. The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” wrote Nancy Higginbotham.
Missing since May 29th, Weston was last seen near Yamashina Station east of Kyoto. He had separated from his parents following an argument with his mother regarding the environmental impact and resource consumption of using ChatGPT to navigate their trip.
Using the Life360 app, his parents tracked him boarding a train and visiting several stores. However, his location sharing was turned off shortly after they texted to ask where he was — an action his mother noted was entirely out of character.
CCTV footage later showed Weston walking alone in Kyoto’s Yamashina area on a path leading to a hiking trail in the nearby woods.
Local police began searching the forest on June 2nd but were severely hindered by a heavy rainstorm that night.
A subsequent 72-hour official search of the densely wooded area involved over 100 police officers, K-9 units and helicopters before concluding on Friday.
Determined to keep looking, the Higginbotham family launched their own search efforts, hiring a private search-and-rescue team and rallying local residents to focus on areas of the Yamashina forest that police had not covered.
Nancy described her son as a passionate environmental protector and a wanderer who loved traveling and nature.
“He just loves to go outside and go for a walk at a trail or go for a small hike, no matter what time of day. That’s just fun to him,” said Nancy.
“His goal in life is to travel…and go to all of these amazing mountains and places where he can embed himself in different cultures,” she added.
His family’s statement concluded with immense gratitude for the local community.
“The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston,” the family wrote.
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