Missing Auburn University student in Japan found dead, mother says: "Unimaginable loss"

Missing Auburn University engineering student James "Weston" Higginbotham was found dead outside of Kyoto, his mother said Saturday on Facebook. 

Higginbotham was found in a mountainous area by a volunteer search-and-rescue group, Nancy Higginbotham wrote. A cause of death or more details were not immediately available. 

Higginbotham, 20, was last seen on May 29. He, his parents and his brother had been visiting Japan at the time of his disappearance. He decided to stay back while his parents and brother visited a nearby temple. His parents told CBS News they saw his location move on a family tracking app and texted him, but didn't receive a response. 

Higginbotham was last seen leaving a train station in Kyoto, and his parents believe he was headed to a nearby hiking trail. His mother told CBS News on Friday that she feared he had become injured or lost. 

Search efforts in Japan included over 100 police officers and the use of dogs and helicopters, she said, and the family had recently hired a professional rescue crew after Japanese authorities said they were suspending search efforts. 

Auburn University President Christopher B. Roberts confirmed Higginbotham's death in a statement, calling him a "valued member of the Auburn Family" and saying that the school "mourns this heartbreaking loss and holds Weston's family, friends and loved ones close in our thoughts during this incredibly difficult time." 

Nancy Higginbotham wrote on Facebook that her family is "forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like." 

"We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston's story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts," she wrote. "The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives." 

"We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston," Nancy Higginbotham added. "We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss."