Otto Warmbier's parents seek $1 billion from North Korea, alleging torture

Otto Warmbier died after he was returned to the U.S. by North Korea with a severe brain injury. (Reuters)

The parents of Otto Warmbier are suing North Korea for over $1 billion, saying their son died as a result of being tortured while in captivity.

The suit, which was originally filed in April, alleges that North Korea "tortured him (Warmbier), kept him in detention for a year and a half without allowing him to communicate with his family, and returned him to them in a non-responsive state and brain dead."

The college student from Ohio was on a tour in the communist country when he allegedly stole a propaganda sign from a hotel. He was arrested in January 2016 and held captive by North Korea for more than 17 months.

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He died from severe brain damage after he was repatriated to the U.S. in June.

The court documents filed in October reveal that Warmbier’s parents are seeking $1.05 billion in punitive damages and about $46 million for the family’s suffering.

North Korea has repeatedly denied the accusations that he was tortured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.