James Higginbotham: American college student who disappeared after arguing with mother over ChatGPT found dead in Japan

The search for an American college student who disappeared during a family vacation in Japan has ended in tragedy. James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student, was found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, his mother confirmed on June 6. Weston had been missing since May 29 after walking away from his parents following a minor disagreement over the use of ChatGPT during the trip.

In a Facebook post announcing the devastating news, Nancy Higginbotham wrote: "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."

"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," she added with husband Keith Higginbotham.



The family had been travelling in Japan since May 25 when Weston disappeared. According to his mother, he was last seen in the Kyoto area on May 29. Surveillance footage later helped authorities narrow his movements to Yamashina Station, east of central Kyoto.

During an interview with NBC News while search efforts were ongoing, Nancy said Weston walked away after an argument about her use of ChatGPT to help plan parts of the family's trip.

"We try never to use it and I totally agree with him. It was just a dumb, dumb argument to have," she said.

During the search operation, Nancy turned to social media for help, sharing detailed information about her son's last known movements. In a June 2 Facebook post, she revealed that police had identified Yamashina Station as the last confirmed location where Weston was seen on CCTV.

"We have narrowed it down to Yamashina station per CCTV," she wrote. Nancy noted that her son was an experienced hiker and believed he may have intentionally headed toward one of the area's scenic nature trails. She listed several possible routes near Yamashina, including trails around Bishamon-do, Lake Biwa Canal, Mount Otowa and the Kyoto Trail.

"Weston is a very experienced hiker and this town has beautiful nature trails. He may have intentionally chosen a quiet trail from Yamashina," she wrote.

At the time, Nancy and her husband were searching wooded areas themselves despite severe weather conditions. "I will be there today searching the woods today," she wrote. "My husband and I went last night with flashlights and headlamps and didn't get too far because we weren't prepared for the wildlife we encountered."

Who is James Higginbotham?

James "Weston" Higginbotham was a 20-year-old American student and junior majoring in biosystems engineering at Auburn University. He disappeared during their family vacation in Japan and was later found dead. Described by his mother as an excellent student, Weston was known for his love of the outdoors, extensive travel experience, and strong navigation skills.

A vegan with a keen interest in environmental issues, he was studying a field focused on the intersection of engineering and sustainability. His family said he was a seasoned hiker who was comfortable exploring nature trails and unfamiliar terrain.