Weston Higginbotham: Cause of Death a Mystery, But Tragic Circumstances Revealed
The search for missing Auburn University student Weston Higginbotham, 20, who disappeared in Japan, came to a tragic end. His cause of death is not clear, and how he died remains a mystery. But the circumstances are tragic.
Nancy Higginbotham, Weston's mom, confirmed his death in a June 6, 2026, social media post. "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," she wrote.
Weston Higginbotham's Mom Described Weston as 'Sweet, Precious' But Didn't Release His Cause of Death
According to Nancy Higginbotham's post, "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."
"We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston's story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts. The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives," she wrote.
BREAKING: Body of Auburn student James Weston Higginbotham found in mountainous area outside Kyoto, Japan, after he split off from family during trip, mother confirms pic.twitter.com/eckiCONl5z
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 6, 2026
"We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston. We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss," the grieving mom concluded. "Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston."
Before he was found, the mom posted a video showing Higginbotham's parents searching for him in Kyoto. "We will be sharing updates every day on our continued search for Weston. Please, please pray that we have a fruitful day and find Weston today. We know he is out in these woods somewhere. They are very dense and the terrain is steep," she wrote at that time.
What Happened to Weston Higginbotham?
According to USA Today, Weston "was last with his family May 29 at about 6:30 p.m. local time after the family ate at a restaurant shortly after arriving in Kyoto."
Added the publication, "They had been traveling together for six days at that point and decided to get some space."
His mom told USA Today that Weston "may have been distressed because of the extended trip and bickering."
"My son, Weston Higginbotham, has been missing since May 29 after last being seen entering the Higashiyama mountain range from the Yamashina Station area in Kyoto," the mom wrote earlier on Facebook.
"Weston is an experienced hiker, and volunteer search efforts are now expanding across multiple trailheads, hiking routes, and forested areas throughout the Higashiyama range." On June 3, she wrote, "This is a picture of Weston last summer hiking the Camino de Santiago from France to Spain-doing what he loves most- pushing his body to the max to see the peak, the sunrise, the sunset. It's been 5.5 days since we have seen Weston, but we are not losing hope. He is conditioned to handle this."
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 10:17 AM.