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While Otto's family remained hopeful for his return, the U.S. traveled down a long, arduous diplomatic path with North Korea, insisting he was in good health, despite evidence otherwise. For over a year, Otto was subjected to inhumane treatment, leading to severe health complications.
A Return to Tragedy
In June 2017, after extensive negotiations, Otto was released back to the U.S., but he returned a mere shell of his former self. Comatose and in a vegetative state, he had suffered significant brain damage due to mistreatment during his captivity. Doctors reported that he had been in a coma for 15 of the 17 months he was held, and despite North Korea's claims that he fell ill due to a sleeping pill, U.S. authorities believed that torture was the true cause of his condition.