The parents of James “Weston” Higginbotham spoke to CNN, People magazine, and local Kyoto-area media on Thursday in their effort to find their son, who disappeared during a family trip. Higginbotham, a student at Auburn University in Alabama, is described by his family as an experienced hiker.
Nancy Higginbotham said in a Facebook post that her family had a “long, stressful day” during which she conducted 10 media interviews. She also described the police search in the hills north of Yamashina, where Higginbotham is believed to have gone.
“Today, dozens of Japanese police officers searched through waist-high mud in an effort to find Weston,” she wrote. “Search dogs and helicopters were also deployed. We had to wait in the apartment during the search.”
She praised the Japanese authorities’ effort: “The search was extensive, and the officers were incredibly thorough in the difficult conditions. Based on what locals witnessed today, we have GREAT confidence in the professionalism and dedication of the Japanese authorities and do not believe any area within the search zone was overlooked.”
The area where Higginbotham is thought to have gone missing contains berries and water, his mother said, raising the possibility that he has access to food and drink.
“There is still hope,” she added.
Police will continue the search on Friday by examining additional closed-circuit television footage and searching forested areas. Posters with Higginbotham’s photograph are being distributed at Yamashina Station, the family said.
“Our emotions are all over the place and every time we lose hope for a second, we receive an encouraging message from you. It keeps us going,” Nancy Higginbotham wrote. “We will find Weston.”