American missing in Japan found dead in mountainous area near Kyoto
The Auburn University student's cause of death has not been released.
JAPAN -- An Auburn University student missing in Japan since last week was found dead by volunteers searching a mountainous area near Kyoto, his mother said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
(Note: The video in the player above is from an earlier story)
James "Weston" Higginbotham, 20, was reported missing on May 29 while on a trip with his family, after he stopped responding to his family's messages on the phone and turned off his location, according to authorities.
"The grief we feel is impossible to put into words," his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, said Saturday.
"We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston," Nancy Higginbotham said. "We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss."
The Alabama native's cause of death is unclear at this time.
"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," Nancy Higginbotham said.
On Thursday, investigators in Japan said they believe it is highly probable the biosystems engineering student left his family intentionally, but police were concerned for his safety, Kyoto Prefectural Police told ABC News.
Police expressed concern for his well-being because he does not speak Japanese and may not know his way around. Police want to find him safely and quickly.
Investigators have interviewed the family, followed Higginbotham's movements after he left the hotel, examined items he left behind and reviewed CCTV.
