Otto Warmbier’s family lash out at ‘awful, torturous’ North Korea after the student, 22, died of severe brain damage caused by being ‘brutalised’ in prison camp he was sent to for trying to steal a POSTER
Distraught family tell of 'torturous mistreatment' of son sentenced to hard labour last March
THE family of US student Otto Warmbier who died just six days after being released in a coma from a North Korea jail have lashed out at the brutal regime's "torturous mistreatment" of their son.
The 22-year-old was hospitalised with brain damage while in a labour camp after a show trial for taking a poster as a memento during a trip to the hermit kingdom.
Otto was a student at the University of Virginia when he visited Pyongyang.
But North Korean authorities accused him of committing a hostile act against the country by stealing a propaganda poster from the hotel he was staying in.
He was detained and arrested in the airport while leaving.
After appearing in a televised show trial he gave a tearful press conference.
From that day nothing was heard from him for more than 15 months until he was returned to the US in a vegetative state.
His father Fred said Otto was “terrorised and brutalised” during his 17-month detention in a labour camp.
“The day after he was sentenced, he went into a coma,” he said.
His cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but at the time of his release the reported that US envoys told Otto's family he had fallen ill with botulism.
The Warmbier family statement in full
It is our sad duty to report that our son, Otto Warmbier, has completed his journey home. Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2.20pm.
It would be easy at a moment like this to focus on all that we lost - future time that won't be spent with a warm, engaging, brilliant young man whose curiosity and enthusiasm for life knew no bounds.
But we choose to focus on the time we were given to be with this remarkable person.
You can tell from the outpouring of emotion from the communities that he touched - Wyoming, Ohio and the University of Virginia to name just two - that the love for Otto went well beyond his immediate family.
We would like to thank the wonderful professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who did everything they could for Otto.
Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today.
When Otto returned to Cincinnati late on June 13th, he was unable to speak, unable to see and unable to react to verbal commands.
He looked very uncomfortable - almost anguished.
Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance on his face changed - he was at peace.
He was home and we believe he could sense that. We thank everyone around the world who has kept him and our family in their thoughts and prayers.
We are at peace and at home too.
MOST READ IN WORLD NEWS
President Trump condemned the "brutal" North Korean regime and vowed to work to "prevent such tragedies" happening again.
"The United States once again condemns the brutality of the North Korean regime as we mourn its latest victim", a White House statement said.
Official White House statement from President Trump on the death of Otto Warmbier
Melania and I offer our deepest condolences to the family of Otto Warmbier on his untimely passing.
There is nothing more tragic for a parent than to lose a child in the prime of life.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Otto's family and friends, and all who loved him.
Otto's fate deepens my Administration's determination to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people at the hands of regims that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency.
The United States once again condemns the brutality of the North Korean regime as we mourn its latest victim.
Warmbier was serving a 15-year prison term with hard labour after he tearfully confessed that he tried to steal a propaganda banner while visiting the country.
The University of Virginia student had a stopover tour in North Korea, en route to Hong Kong, where he was going to study.
At a press conference before his March 2016 trial, a sobbing Warmbier said he had made "the worst mistake of my life" and pleaded to be released.
Such detentions in the totalitarian nation have added to tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.
Three Americans remain in custody.
The US government accuses North Korea of using such detainees as political pawns.
North Korea accuses Washington and South Korea of sending spies to overthrow its government.
Securing Warmbier's release "was a big priority" for President Donald Trump, according to the White House.
The awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today
The Warmbier family
Attention will quickly turn to how the Trump administration responds.
"When Otto returned to Cincinnati late on June 13th he was unable to speak, unable to see and unable to react to verbal commands", the family statement added.
"He looked very uncomfortable — almost anguished. Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed — he was at peace.
";He was home and we believe he could sense that.
"We thank everyone around the world who has kept him and our family in their thoughts and prayers. We are at peace and at home too."
Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368