U.S. student held in North Korea died of oxygen starved brain: Ohio coroner
Source: Reuters
SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 / 4:23 PM / UPDATED 21 MINUTES AGO
Suzannah Gonzales
(Reuters) - An American student imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months died from lack of oxygen and blood to the brain, according to an Ohio coroners report released on Wednesday.
Otto Warmbiers death on June 19 was due to an unknown injury that occurred more than a year before his death, according to Hamilton County Coroners Office investigator John Hatfield and the coroners report dated Sept. 11.
The University of Virginia student was held by North Korea from January 2016 until his release on June 15. Warmbier, 22, returned to the United States in a coma.
Both the investigator and the coroners report cited complications of chronic deficiency of oxygen and blood supply to the brain in Warmbiers death. Only an external examination of the body rather than a full autopsy was completed at the request of Warmbiers family.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea-detainee/u-s-student-held-in-north-korea-died-of-oxygen-starved-brain-ohio-coroner-idUSKCN1C22XM
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)tormented with worry he was not suffering, and they know it now.
His near-death body had apparently been very well cared for after whatever happened to him (in prison?), reportedly no skin ulcers even after a year in a coma. We'll likely never know what happened to him, and possibly to whoever caused "chronic deficiency of oxygen and blood supply to the brain."
Response to DonViejo (Original post)
MichMary This message was self-deleted by its author.
yardwork
(61,408 posts)Last edited Wed Sep 27, 2017, 08:44 PM - Edit history (1)
Your suggestion that he committed suicide is, frankly, disgusting. There is zero evidence for this. No autopsy could possibly confirm or rule out exactly what caused the brain injury.
I hope that you will self-delete.
Edited: Thank you for self-deleting. I'm sorry that I was harsh.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,282 posts)If there's suspicion of criminal activity, does that outweigh the religious wishes of surviving family members?
yardwork
(61,408 posts)North Korea isn't subject to U.S. laws about murder.
The man was injured while he was in the custody of North Korea. We could declare war on them. We could lodge a formal complaint. No autopsy would make a difference.
atreides1
(16,046 posts)An autopsy would have provided more information!
yardwork
(61,408 posts)The coroner who examined his body said this:
Sammarco said she had conducted a virtual autopsy using extensive medical scanning and imaging, adding that a regular autopsy would have been of little use so long after Warmbier suffered brain damage.
former9thward
(31,802 posts)It would have been a perfect excuse to hide their torture.
Equinox Moon
(6,344 posts)There is conflicting information about what happened to him in this article by The Guardian
He said his sons mouth looked like someone had taken a pair of pliers and rearranged his bottom teeth.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/28/otto-warmbier-torture-north-korea-coroner