25 June, 2017
Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said Thursday that released North Korean detainee Otto Warmbier suffered extensive brain damage, but said the 22-year-old USA college student doesn't now show signs of botulism.
Otto Warmbier is in stable condition now but has suffered a "severe neurological injury", a hospital representative said at a news conference Thursday.
They did say moving forward, the family requests details of Otto's care and prognosis not be released.
The father of a comatose American college student released from North Korea said Thursday his son was "brutalized and terrorized" in the communist nation, and he doesn't believe Pyongyang's claim the son fell into a come due to "botulism" food poisoning.
Warmbier described the family's frustration over having to keep quiet while efforts to release their son went nowhere, and the sense of relief that followed. "We are extremely grateful for their efforts and concern", he said. A source close to the family said Warmbier contracted botulism past year.
Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson said there should be an investigation into what happened to Mr Warmbier, saying it was a "tragic situation".
Warmbier was freed earlier this week after being jailed for more than 17 months.
The father of the University of Virginia student who was released from North Korea this week said USA basketball Hall-of-Famer Dennis Rodman's visit to Pyongyang had no connection to the freeing of Otto Warmbier. She says the parents plan a Thursday morning news conference. University of Cincinnati said Warmbier shows no signs of botulism.
"They lure Americans, they take them hostage, then they do things to them", he said, tearing up as he pointed out to reporters that he was wearing the same jacket Otto wore for his televised confession. They were warned not to say anything bad about the leaders or the country, or they might do something to harm their son.
Otto Warmbier's father: President Trump called and wanted to find out about Otto, "he was very candid.it was a nice conversation".
He said his wife, Cindy, had not left their son's side since his return to the United States.
Warmbier said his son, who was in stable condition according to the OH hospital where he was transferred, was subjected to brutal treatment. "His spirit is with us, and I can share my spirit with his spirit, and I am so happy for that".
