Otto Warmbier's father says son ' terrorized' by North Korea

Saying his son was "terrorized" and "brutalized" by North Korea, the father of an American college student on Thursday revealed few details about his son's medical condition or information surrounding his release from a North Korean prison this week.

"We have few answers," Fred Warmbier told reporters during a news conference at Wyoming High School, his son's alma mater. "There's no excuse for the way the North Koreans treated our son."

Otto Warmbier, 22, remains in a coma at University of Cincinnati Medial Center, where he's been since returning home late Tuesday night.

The University of Virginia student had been detained and imprisoned in North Korea for more than a year.

Some media reports said the North Koreans suggested Otto Warmbier had come down with a case of botulism and fell into a coma after being given a sleeping pill — an account questioned by a number of officials.

Fred Warmbier thanked the Trump administration for helping to bring home his son. President Trump called the family Wednesday night.

Warmbier said North Korea took his son hostage at the airport, but he doesn't believe his family will ever know the real reason Otto was released.

He said Dennis Rodman's visit to North Korea had nothing to do with his son's release.

Fred Warmbier said the family is "just extremely proud of Otto. His spirit is with us. I can share my spirit with his spirit. And I'm just so happy with that."

North Korea said Thursday it released Warmbier over "humanitarian" reasons, its first official comment since he was returned to his home state of Ohio in a coma.

The state- run Korean Central News Agency said Warmbier had been serving hard labor but didn't comment on his medical condition or how the country negotiated his release with the United States.

Getting emotional, he said, "We are thrilled our son is on American soil. ... that I'm able to talk to you on Otto's behalf. And I'm able to wear the jacket that he wore when he was ' confessing.' "

During Otto Warmbier's incarceration, his parents only heard from him once — through a letter on March 2, 2016.

His father said that was the last time the family heard from him. It was shortly after that date when his son became ill.

SAM GREENE, THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Otto Warmbier, a U. S. college student who was imprisoned in North Korea, is carried off a plane Tuesday at Lunken Airport.