US Student Dies of Brain Damage A Week After Return from N Korea

22-year-old Otto Warmbier was visiting North Korea when he was arrested for alleged ‘anti-state’ activities.

File image of Otto Warmbier. (Photo: AP)

(Photo: AP)

Otto Warmbier, the US student who was released last week after more than 17 months of detention in North Korea, died of severe brain damage in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio on 19 June.

The 22-year-old was reportedly holidaying in North Korea when he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years hard labour for allegedly ‘stealing a political poster’ from a hotel. Already in a state of coma, he was evacuated from North Korea on 13 June 2017, BBC reported.

Reacting to the incident, US President Donald Trump launched an attack on the ‘brutal regime’ in Pyongyang.

A lot of bad things happened, but at least we got him home to be with his parents. They were so happy to see him, even though he was in a very tough condition. It’s a brutal regime and we will be able to handle it.

Donald Trump, President, USA

Last week, doctors revealed that Otto had suffered severe neurological injuries, and described him as being in a state of "unresponsive wakefulness," opening his eyes and blinking, but showing no signs of understanding language or of being aware of his surroundings.

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