Federal Judge Beryl Howell ruled Monday afternoon the North Korean regime must pay $501 million to the parents of Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old American student who was tortured to death after being taken hostage in the country three years ago.
"North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier,” the ruling states.
Warmbier was returned to the United States in June of 2017. He arrived in a coma and extremely poor health. Shortly afterward, he died. His parents described his treatment as heinous and inhumane.
During an interview with Fox and Friends Tuesday morning, Fred and Cindy Warmbier explained in detail how Otto was brought home and what they experienced. They walked onto a plane to find their son deaf, blind, on a feeding tube and violently convulsing.
"When we got halfway up the steps we heard this howling, involuntary, inhuman sound,” Fred said. "It looked like someone had taken a pair of pliers and rearranged his bottom teeth."
"He had a large scar on his right foot. North Korea is not a victim. They are terrorists," he continued. "They purposely injured Otto."
"They destroyed him," Cindy added.
North Korea claimed Warmbier became severely ill after experiencing a case of botulism. Doctors who examined Warmbier when he was returned to the United States found no evidence of that claim, but did find he was tortured and that all areas to his brain were severely damaged.
President Trump has vowed to hold the North Koreans accountable for their actions and hosted the Warmbier family as his guests during last year's State of the Union address.
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