Fred and Cindy Warmbier filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the North Korean government on Thursday. They have accused the country of torturing and killing their son.
Otto was sentenced to 15 years in prison and hard labour after he was accused of trying to steal a propaganda poster from a hotel for his church during a visit with a China-based holiday tour company.
He ended up spending 17 months in prison before being returned to his family in a vegetative state.
The lawsuit claims Otto was blind, deaf, had a shaved head and a feeding tube, "was jerking violently and howling" and had misaligned teeth when he reunited with his family in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He died on 19th June 2017.
The parents are also suing the secretive state for emotional distress.
Otto's father said in a statement on Thursday: "Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un.
"Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our son's life. This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family."
North Korea has denied torturing the student.
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