The parents of an Auburn University student who went missing during a trip to Japan have made an emotional appeal for information as efforts to locate their son intensify.
James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, was last seen on Friday after traveling to Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward, a district in the eastern part of the city. According to his family, he is believed to have been planning to explore the area’s hiking trails before he disappeared.
Auburn University student James “Weston” Higginbotham disappeared on Friday after traveling to Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward, prompting an international search effort.
In a Facebook video posted Monday, Higginbotham’s parents, Nancy and Keith, thanked supporters for their “continuous thoughts and prayers” as they traveled to Japan to assist in the search and raise awareness about their missing son.
“We truly feel them,” Nancy said through tears. “We do feel the love and the support that you guys have given us and that the community in Japan has given us as well.”
The grieving parents — who previously described their ordeal as living in their “own hell” — pleaded with the public to keep sharing missing-person flyers and information about Higginbotham in the hope that someone in Japan may recognize him and provide a crucial lead.
“Every comment, every share, has led us all to where we are now,” Keith said.
Higginbotham’s parents, Nancy and Keith, urged the public to continue sharing missing-person flyers and information about their son as the search enters another critical phase.
“Every time that you guys repost on social media, it’s an opportunity for somebody in Japan to see it,” Nancy said. “That is our ultimate goal — for people in Japan to see Weston’s face so they can report back to us.”
The 20-year-old environmental engineering student traveled to Japan with family members on May 25. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt featuring a “Save the Bees” graphic, lavender corduroy pants and Adidas sneakers with black stripes. He was also carrying a tote bag displaying the outline of the state of Alabama.
Nancy previously said her son “may be emotionally distressed,” underscoring the urgency of the search effort.
According to the family, Higginbotham’s phone stopped transmitting its location after he got off a train in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward. Relatives believe he may have set out on one of the area’s quieter hiking trails.
In a Facebook post, Nancy urged anyone who spots her son not to share his whereabouts online.
“If you see him, PLEASE DO NOT POST HIS EXACT LOCATION PUBLICLY. Please call local police immediately and then message me directly,” she wrote.
Higginbotham’s family has said the Auburn University environmental engineering student “may be emotionally distressed,” adding to concerns about his well-being as the search continues.
Search operations are expected to resume Thursday after authorities and volunteers spent days scouring areas north of Yamashina on foot and by helicopter in an effort to locate the missing 20-year-old.
In their latest update, the family expressed gratitude to the Japanese government, local police, the FBI, the U.S. Embassy, Alabama officials and the many Japanese volunteers who have joined the extensive search effort.
“If you know Weston, you know what a great kid he is; he has a heart of gold,” Nancy said in the video message.
“We all want him to come back safely.”
