It is my opinion that they chose not to have a full autopsy because it would keep things in the news longer. What would happen when they came out with the cause of death and it did indicate torture? The whole country would be speculating on what is to be done and how he brought it upon himself etc. It extends the tragedy. This way they can bury their son and grieve privately. It will drift slowly away in the news as more current events occur.
There is a 20/20 special about him 10pm eastern time.
When I see him on the tv screen my heart sinks to my stomach. So heartbreaking.
Americans still want to go to North Korea and there are still travel agencies to serve them. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/travel/north-korea-tours-americans-warmbier.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share
This article has interviews with the tour companies and some Americans who went. The troubling thing is that a story like this will just entice some people to go and risk their lives.
Maybe I missed this already being discussed but has anyone mentioned the University of Delaware Prof who stated that Otto got exactly what he deserved?
Im just sickened by that statement. In this world where PC is everything, is she for real?
Her full statement is pretty hard to take. She not only blames him but his parents as well. But she seems to have it out for “rich, white and clueless males” as she describes them. Big chip on her shoulder.
Wow! As the mother of a white 17 year old son that is leaving in less than a week for 6 weeks in China for in the NSLI-Y program sponsored/supervised by the University of Delware I don’t even know how to react to this! I sure hope the folks running this program don’t share her attitude!
Why can’t people with nothing positive to say shut their mouths? And a professor? ayiyiyi Between that, people wishing a victim of a shooter was killed, wondering if an actor should kill the president? What’s wrong with people? Did their mother’s forget to raise them with the old - if you have nothing nice to say…
I am always amazed when I see man’s inhumanity to man. What’s wrong with people? Yes, kids, teens, and young adults do stupid stuff. Their developing brains are not thinking and behaving on adult levels. They will make mistakes. But you shouldn’t have to pay with your life. No, NK is the culprit here. My prayers are with the Warmbiers.
No one deserves what happened to Otto. If death is what is deserved because of a stupid decision, then there are a whole lot of people in the country who better watch out.
eyemamom- I feel like you. I am disgusted with all the nasty rhetoric thats people spew. No one has any respect foe anyone or anything. I believe thats where much of this hateful talk comes from. I just can’t imagine being Ottos parents and listening to such horrible and painful comments. God Bless the Warmbeirs
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The 20/20 segment included a discussion with an Amnesty International staff member about reports of prison camps in North Korea. It was horrifying.
This very risk/danger is a strong enticement for those with personalities which thrive on the thrills from undertaking an exceedingly risky/dangerous activity.
Worse, the more the parent/older adults and more prudent peers try to dissuade them, the more they tend to be enticed to go and dismiss the dissuaders as “boring” “unadventurous” types.
The University of Delaware has fired the professor, issuing a statement “The University of Delaware has announced that Katherine Dettwyler, who last taught in the spring as an adjunct faculty member, will not be rehired to teach at the University in the future.”
That’s good. I don’t know if you can effectively teach after you’ve declared such viciousness. Who would want to listen to someone full of such hate, even if you weren’t a white male?
Good riddance. She is disgusting.
I believe all this nastiness from people is not being caused by these events, their character is being revealed by these events.
I don’t get why hate aimed at anyone is okay.
Of course he shouldn’t have died for what happened. I can’t help but wonder if the same people upset with this professor were equally as upset that Trayvon Martin was killed for walking down a street. Do those same people even know who Kalief Browder was?
I agree with the poster above who suggested that perhaps the Warmbiers declined an autopsy because they did not want Otto’s body subjected to more than he already had gone through.
I just read an article by an AP reporter who interviewed two of the travelers on Otto’s trip (but who declined to comment about that trip out of respect for the Warmbiers) other people who went on previous Young Pioneer Tours:
Perhaps the articles about this company will make others more careful about their tour groups?
And, I wonder if the company owner will ever “own” his problem and the responsibility he bears for making money off of putting people in unnecessary danger.
wow… after reading that, shocking that this company hasn’t been all over the news for getting people killed.
yikes.
“Eastern European breakaway state of Trans-Dniester…”
OMG. They take people there?! That is sheer lunacy. That is not even a state.