Search and rescue volunteers in Japan have discovered the body of 20-year-old Auburn University student James Weston Higginbotham, who went missing during a family vacation.
Higginbotham was found dead on Saturday near Kyoto, bringing a sorrowful conclusion to a frantic search that lasted several days across wooded mountains.
According to the family, Higginbotham disappeared on May 29 after a disagreement with his mother regarding her use of ChatGPT to plan their journey.
A 72-hour police search of the densely forested area where Higginbotham was last seen concluded on Friday, but the family initiated their own search efforts on Saturday, enlisting the assistance of local residents and a hired search and rescue team.
The family expressed their gratitude to those who had shared their story and assisted in the search, saying 'The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.'
