CINCINNATI (AP) - The Latest on an Ohio coroner’s report on the death of an ex-detainee of North Korea (all times local):
3:50 p.m.
An Ohio coroner says her office lacks evidence to make any conclusions on what caused the fatal brain damage that killed a 22-year-old U.S. college student who had been detained more than a year by North Korea.
Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco (LAK’-schmee sam-MAHR’-koh) says “the bottom line” is examination couldn’t determine what happened to Otto Warmbier (WARM’-beer). Her office’s newly released report says his brain was damaged by oxygen deprivation, but it’s not known what triggered that.
His parents and President Donald Trump have accused North Korea of torturing him. North Korea has denied mistreating Warmbier, who was arrested in January 2016 for allegedly stealing a propaganda banner while visiting with a tour group.
He died in June 2017, less than a week after his return to Cincinnati.
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1:15 p.m.
The Hamilton County coroner has scheduled a news conference to discuss a newly released report on the examination of the body of a college student from Ohio who was held more than a year and died less than a week after his release from North Korea.
Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco’s (LAK’-schmee sam-MAHR’-kohz) office called the conference for Wednesday afternoon about Otto Warmbier (WARM’-beer). The 22-year-old University of Virginia student died in Cincinnati in June.
His parents and President Donald Trump have accused North Korea of torturing him.
A report by the deputy county coroner signed Sept. 11 says Warmbier died from complications from brain-damaging oxygen deprivation through “an unknown insult more than a year prior to death.” It listed manner of death as “undetermined.”
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9:54 a.m.
A coroner’s report gives a cause of death for a young Ohioan detained for more than a year by North Korea, but couldn’t determine what led to his fatal brain damage.
Otto Warmbier’s (WARM’-beer) parents told a Fox News show Tuesday that North Korea tortured the 22-year-old University of Virginia student. President Donald Trump tweeted after their TV appearance: “Otto was tortured beyond belief by North Korea.”
A Hamilton County coroner’s report dated Sept. 11 shows cause of death as brain damage from oxygen deprivation through “an unknown insult more than a year prior to death.”
The Cincinnati Enquirer first reported the finding.
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