Legal Statement. They said all rides are inspected daily before opening. All Rights Reserved. Caleb Schwab died Sunday on a slide at the . In early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure some angles. KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) The young son of a Kansas state lawmaker died Sunday on a water slide that is billed as the world's largest, according to officials and the boy's family. KANSAS CITY, Kansas (WPVI) -- A witness to the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy on the world's tallest water slide in Kansas has revealed gruesome details of how the boy died. Family pastor Clint Sprague told reporters today that Caleb "was an incredible young man" who was "full of life.". This Nov. 2013 file photo shows Schlitterbahn's Verruckt speed slide/water coaster in Kansas City. The water park is now closed, and the slide has been demolished. Lawyers for the other defendants either could not be reached on Saturday or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A memorial service is planned for Friday afternoon. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. A promotional video about building the slide includes footage of two men riding a raft down a half size test model and going slightly airborne as it crests the top of the first big hill. The slide's name means "insane" in German. The state alleged that the two men had rushed forward with the rides construction without the technical expertise required to design a properly functioning waterslide, skipped fundamental steps in the design process, and relied almost entirely on crude trial-and-error methods for safety testing. It turns out at first, it definitely wasn't. Fellow rider Jess Sanford, from Lincoln, Nebraska, told CNN: When I heard a noise that didn't sound like it was supposed to come from that kind of ride, that's when I turned around. Court documents also reveal that a team of experts who inspected the slide after Caleb's death found "physical evidence that indicated that other rafts had gone airborne and collided with the. Several passengers who rode the waterslide where a 10-year-old boy was decapitated Sunday said that the rides Velcro-like straps would come loose, and that at least one lifeguard claimed they were just for show. She had told him that her safety belt's Velcro came undone towards the end of her ride. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. -- A judge dismissed criminal charges Friday against a Kansas water park owner and the designer of a 17-story slide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated in 2016. It was at that point that he noticed the boy appeared to have been decapitated. Feb. 24, 2019. German for insane, Verrckt was designed to challenge the laws of physics. Did he enjoy extreme rides? The slide's name means "insane" in German. A lawyer who represented the Schwab family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. According to court documents, a team of experts who inspected the ride after Caleb's death found physical evidence that indicated that other rafts had gone airborne and collided with the overhead hoops and netting before the fatality. Whats more, on July 3, 2014one week before the rides grand openingan engineering firm that was hired to perform accelerometer tests on Verrckts rafts issued a damning report that guaranteed that rafts would occasionally go airborne in a manner that could severely injure or kill the occupants. Other documents cited evidence of dozens of Schlitterbahn customers who had been injured on the ride. He was "affectionate" and a "hugger," Sprague said, and he loved baseball, basketball and his church. 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My first thought was that it must have been a freak accidentwhat a horrible, horrible story, Truesdell told me. Caleb Schwab was killed Sunday while zooming down the 168-ft.-tall Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, police said. ABC's Elizabeth Hur has the latest on a pair of amusement park accidents. All rights reserved. Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website. * Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Ultimately, he decided that the defense lawyers arguments of grand jury abuse were credible. 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Judge Burns also wrote that the jurors heard expert testimony that suggested, incorrectly, that the slides designers did not adhere to legal standards, and that the expert mentioned another, unrelated death at the Schlitterbahn park in Texas. Riders sit in multi-person rafts that begin with the steep drop, followed by a surge up a second hill before a 50-foot descent to a finishing pool. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. I remember hearing about the accident on the news and thought that the park was going to shut down. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Police said Caleb suffered a fatal neck injury. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Nate Schwab, 12, was at the top of the Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City with his 10-year-old brother, Caleb. She had told him her safety belt's Velcro came undone toward the end of her ride. The video here is a point-of-view shot of the Giant Verrckt Water Slide at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, where the son of a state lawmaker died while plummeting down the 168-foot drop! Nathan Truesdell, a filmmaker from nearby Missouri, heard about the devastating incident on the news. In a statement, she said "a limited portion" of the park will reopen at midday Wednesday. Riders are propelled by jets of water as they go over a hump while riding a water slide called "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. Period, he said. How Much Money Do Survivor Contestants Get Paid? Among those indicted were Jeffrey Wayne Henry, a co-owner of Schlitterbahn Companies and a designer of the waterslide; John Timothy Schooley, also a designer of the slide; and Henry & Sons Construction Company, Inc., the corporation involved in building the slide. I obviously recognize that the circumstances and events giving rise to these indictments are indisputably tragic, Judge Burns wrote. Caleb Schwab in June 2016. "The indictment said the Verruckt water slide raft at Kansas City's Schlitterbahn Waterpark "went airborne and collided with the overhead hoops and netting" designed to keep . On the day of Calebs accident, the Schwab family had been visiting the water park for Elected Official Day, an annual promotion from Schlitterbahn that offered free admission to Kansas elected officials and their families. Also indicted were Henry & Sons Construction Company and KC Waterpark Management, both affiliates of Schlitterbahn. Caleb Schwab, the son of a state lawmaker, sustained a fatal "neck injury" at around 2:30 p.m. while riding the 168-foot-tall "Verruckt" (meaning "insane" in German) water slide, the Associated. Past close calls reported after boy dies on waterslide. No one had ever done anything like this before. The slide is 168-feet tall and has 264 stairs leading to the top -- taller than the Statue of Liberty. A memorial service is planned for Friday afternoon. Had he begged his parents for weeks? Castaneda said two other woman were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. Numerous elected officials and their families were in the park when the tragedy happened. The slide's name means "insane" in German. The slide is 168 feet tall and has 264. According to People magazine, police have confirmed the child suffered a neck injury and was decapitated. When the Verrckt slide opened in 2014, it was billed as "the world's tallest water slide.". The defendants included Jeffrey W. Henry, a co-owner of Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts, which is based in Texas; John T. Schooley, a designer of the slide; and Tyler Austin Miles, a former operations director. However, the particular ride that killed a 10-year old boy Sunday remains closed. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Past close calls reported after boy dies on waterslide Family took photos of friend's snapped harness; Details on 'Fox & Friends' Several passengers who rode the waterslide where a 10-year-old. A 12-year-old boy died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, on the Kansas water slide that is billed as the world's largest, according to officials. Access to the Verruckt remained blocked by a 7-foot-high wooden fence. Riders are told to hold ropes inside the raft. I'd urge them not to. The boy's parents Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab and his wife, Michele have not spoken publicly since the death. An attorney for ride designer Schooley, Justin Johnston, told the Times: "We don't know what the future holds, but hope that with a fresh look at the evidence and law, the parties can find a way to put this matter behind them.". Tragic child Caleb Schwab, 10, was the son of state Rep. Scott Schwab. Caleb died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, while riding the Verruckt, a water slide that's billed as the world's largest, at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. (David Strickland via AP) Castaneda said two other women were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. He described a horrific scene after the boy's death. But it didn't, so I worked there. August 9, 2016 5:21 PM EDT. ", But how can a ride this extreme be safe for anyone? Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Rep. Scott Schwab, died on the 17-story. The park was closed down after the incident Sunday and remained closed Monday. Video by Nathan Truesdell At 169 feet tall, Verrckt was the tallest waterslide in the world. It was supposed to be just another summer day at the Kansas City water park until Jess Sanford and Melanie Gocke witnessed something that would be imprinted on their minds forever: the death. Castaneda said noticed a lifeguard was trying to push the crowd back from the slide, but he continued to try to help because he thought there was someone lying face down in the water. The two women in his raft, who were not related to Caleb, suffered minor injuries, police said. They were not related to the boy. He described a horrific scene after the boy's death. An investigation has been launched into how the incident occurred on the "Verruckt" raft ride at the Kansas City attraction. She remembered a short video they were required to watch, though she didn't recall that it included any caveats about peril. When Conrad herself rode the slide, she expressed safety concerns about the straps to a water park lifeguard. Castaneda said that he heard booms coming from the area of the slide, and then saw a body wash down the slide directly after the raft did. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 2 The Verrckt slide in Kansas is billed as the world's tallest water slide. The slide, known as Verrckt, which is German for crazy or insane, opened in 2014 and was marketed as the tallest waterslide in the world. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Truesdells chilling short documentary The Water Slide, premiering on The Atlantic today, uses news and promotional footage to depict the ill-conceived project and its tragic fallout. Following the unspeakable accident, the park immediately shut down. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. We want to hear what you think about this article. I know I will. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. KANSAS CITY, Kansas (WABC) -- A witness to the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy on the world's tallest water slide in Kansas has revealed gruesome details of how the boy died. Criminal charges brought against him and others in connection with a fatal accident on the slide were dismissed on Friday. Kansas City, Kansas -- A judge dismissed criminal charges Friday against a Kansas water park owner and the designer of a 17-story slide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated in 2016 . It's the scariest thing I've done.". USA Today reports a full investigation is underway. He then saw a raft come through, and "immediately after the raft you see a body," he said. T he death of a 10-year-old Kansas boy, who was decapitated on the world's tallest water slide over the weekend, has revived calls for change in the . The designer of a Kansas waterslide that decapitated a 10-year-old boy was taken into custody after he arrived at a Texas airport late Monday, U.S. Ken Martin, a Richmond, Virginia-based amusement park safety consultant, questioned whether the straps were appropriate for what he called "nothing more than a roller coaster with water.". They were accused of reckless behavior in the design, construction and operation of the Verrckt and faced various charges that included aggravated child endangerment and second-degree murder. She had told him that her safety belt's Velcro came undone toward the end of her ride. Sara Craig, who took her 14-year-old son and his friend to the park on Wednesday said: "I feel guilty having fun when a family is hurting so badly.. Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family said they're heartbroken. A person familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday the boy was decapitated. He said Caleb was a hugger who loved his parents, sports and Jesus. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, In the aftermath . But riders sometimes struck the netting or the poles, and some injuries had already occurred when, in August 2016, Caleb Schwab, 10, got into a raft with two other riders. Castaneda said two other woman were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. Market data provided by Factset. Speaking anonymously, a source close to the inquiry confirmed the boy was decapitated. KANSAS CITY, Kan. A judge dismissed criminal charges Friday against a Kansas water park owner and the designer of a 17-story slide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated in 2016. Henry and Schooley were ultimately indicted on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated endangerment of a child, interference with law enforcement, and involuntary manslaughter. Although they had built rides before, neither Henry nor Schooley had a background in mechanical engineering. So they rode it again, only to see the restraint on her son's friend also come loose by the time it was over. She said the family rode Verruckt twice in one day a couple of weeks ago. At 169 feet tall, Verrckt was the tallest waterslide in the world. All rights reserved. And, please, hug your kids just a little tighter today. This is likely where Caleb had been sitting. By Cox Media Group National Content Desk August 10, 2016 at 11:32 am CDT. The death of a 10-year-old at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas was even more devastating than could have been imagined with witnesses confirming that tragic child Caleb Schwab was decapitated while riding down the 168-foot-tall Verrckt slide! . We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. In considering whether those charges were appropriate, the judge agreed with defense attorneys that prosecutors had misled the grand jury by showing made-for-TV video footage for a Travel Channel show, "Xtreme Waterparks," which prosecutors used to allege a reckless attitude toward construction of Verrckt. Henry nor Schooley had a background in mechanical engineering Truesdell at 169 feet,. Any caveats about peril of physics had built rides before, neither Henry nor Schooley had a background mechanical... 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