James “Weston” Higginbotham dies: Auburn student wouldn’t harm himself, family friends say; goes on ‘stress-relieving’ hike
Auburn University student families James “Weston” Higginbotham A 20-year-old man who died in Japan claimed he enjoyed long walks to “decompress” and did not want to harm himself. Search and rescue volunteers at Japan James’ body was discovered after he went missing during a family holiday.
James had a dispute with his mother over her use of ChatGPT navigation, and went missing after exploring Kyoto alone.
Hiking in an exotic location at night might seem strange, but longtime neighbor and family friend Audrey Daniels said James was “an experienced hiker and it was also a stress reliever for him,” according to NBC News.
Both Daniels, 23, and another family friend, Jennifer Harper Bowen, said they did not believe James would harm himself.
“He was depressed and he wanted space, so I don’t think he turned off his phone because he didn’t want to be found. He turned off his phone because he was depressed,” said Bowen, 39, whose son also attends Auburn University.
“I don’t think he intentionally ran away or tried to hurt himself or anything like that. I think it was just a really bad situation and really bad timing,” Bowen added.
James was reportedly wearing a “Save the Bees” T-shirt when he disappeared.
“He had a huge heart for friends, family, strangers and especially the environment,” Daniels said. “So he was definitely very compassionate.”
“I will remember him as a very funny kid,” she added. “He’s a very smart, very well-rounded person. It’s such a joy to see him whenever he’s at home.”
What happened to James “Weston” Higginbotham?
James’ parents used the Life360 app to track his location and saw him boarding a train and visiting various shops after leaving after an argument with his mother. They texted him asking where he was going, but his spot was quickly closed, which his mother said was out of character for him.
CCTV footage shows James last walking alone in the Yamako area of the city. The trail led to a hiking trail in nearby woods, CNN reported.
Learn more | James “Weston” Higginbotham’s death recalls Lucy Blackman case – looking at two Japanese tragedies
Because of the camera’s location and James’ love of hiking, police decided to search the forest on June 2. However, their search efforts were disrupted by a storm that night that brought high winds and heavy rain to the area. More than 100 police officers, K-9s and helicopters were involved in the search.
The Higginbothams later launched their own search with the help of local residents and hired search and rescue teams.
James’ mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced in a Facebook post His body was found by “a volunteer search and rescue team in the mountains outside Kyoto,” adding, “The sadness we feel is beyond words.”
