Key facts
- James Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student, was found deceased in Japan.
- His body was discovered in a mountainous area near Kyoto by a volunteer search-and-rescue group.
- Higginbotham was last seen leaving a Kyoto train station on May 29.
- Japanese authorities conducted an initial three-day search involving approximately 100 officers without success.
- His mother confirmed his death.
James Higginbotham, a 20-year-old engineering student at Auburn University, was found dead in a mountainous area near Kyoto, Japan. His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, confirmed the discovery, stating that a volunteer search-and-rescue group found him. Higginbotham had been reported missing after he was last seen leaving a Kyoto train station on May 29. His parents believe he may have been heading to a nearby hiking trail. The family was in Japan to celebrate his younger brother's high school graduation. An initial three-day search by Japanese authorities, involving approximately 100 police officers, K-9 units, and helicopters, did not locate him. The cause of death and further details surrounding the incident have not yet been made available.