The family of a missing US college student has begun its own search in Japan. Here’s a timeline of key moments in the case

By Jessie Yeung, Rebekah Riess, Hanako Montgomery, CNN

(CNN) — The parents of an American college student missing in Japan are not giving up on finding their son, even after they say police finished searching the dense forest he was spotted walking toward more than a week ago.

James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old junior at Auburn University and a passionate environmentalist, was traveling in the Kyoto area with his family when he vanished while exploring the city alone – shortly after having a disagreement with his mother over her use of AI to help with navigation, and the natural resources such a tool requires.

While authorities scaled back resources from the search, the family has launched its own efforts to locate Weston with the help of local residents.

“We’re not going to leave (Japan) until we find Weston,” his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, told CNN earlier this week.

Here’s the timeline of the events leading to the student’s disappearance and the search to find him:

May 22

The family, hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, arrives in Japan to celebrate the high school graduation of Weston’s younger brother. They visit a number of cities, including Tokyo, Nikko and Takayama, before heading to Kyoto.

May 29

The family arrives in Kyoto, where they enjoy a meal and walk around town before heading to their hotel to rest and regroup. At some point, Weston clashes with his mother over her use of ChatGPT, and decides to explore Kyoto by himself while the rest of the family visits a nearby temple.

Using the Life360 app to track his location, his parents see Weston jump on a train, visit several stores and make a purchase. They text him to ask where he is going, and his location is turned off shortly afterward, which was out of character for him, his mother said.

Around 6 p.m.: Weston leaves Kyoto Station alone, according to police.

Around 8 p.m.: In the last sighting of Weston, CCTV footage captured him walking alone in the Yamashina area, which lies on the border between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. The area is mountainous and heavily forested, and the CCTV camera was on a path leading to hiking trails.

May 30

Around 2 a.m.: The family reports Weston missing to local authorities.

In the days that follow, Nancy begins a social media campaign to raise awareness and look for leads, including posting on Reddit and Facebook.

June 2

The information from CCTV cameras, captured on May 29, was not confirmed until June 2. Given the camera’s location near the trail and Weston’s love of hiking, police decided to search the forest, but were hindered by a storm that brought wind and heavy rain to the region that night.

June 3

Police begin searching the mountains near Yamashina with dozens of officers, a helicopter, and police dogs.

Officials cited concerns for Weston’s safety during the storm if he was in the mountains at the time – though they added it’s possible he had already moved out of the area.

June 4

The police search continues, focused on the forests of Yamashina.

The family has been in touch with the US Embassy in Japan and the FBI, Nancy said. The FBI told CNN it is “ready to assist our international partners with any requests for assistance.”

The family will stay in Japan until they find Weston, Nancy said, with help from a GoFundMe created by community members back home.

June 5

A 72-hour police search of the densely wooded area where Weston was last spotted walking toward ends, according to the family. The search involved more than 100 police officers, K-9s and helicopters.

The police investigation continues as law enforcement collects CCTV footage and monitors for bank card activity, the family tells CNN.

The family announces plans to hire their own search and rescue team and enlist the help of volunteers, particularly those with experience hiking challenging terrain, to continue the search for Weston.

June 6

The Higginbothams along with local residents and a hired search and rescue team, launch their own search efforts, focused on the forests of Yamashina and spanning a 5-mile stretch in either direction from Weston’s likely entry point.

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