— -- A 10-year-old boy who died on a water slide in Kansas City, Kansas, suffered a fatal neck injury, officials said, as a witness recounted the "horrific scene" and the "panic" that erupted . As originally reported by The National ENQUIRER, people at the popular Kansas . Jeffrey W. Henry at the Verrckt waterslide that he helped design for a Kansas water park. TheAtlantic.com Copyright (c) 2023 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. 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. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. All rights reserved. The judge also sided with defense attorneys who complained that grand jurors were presented additional evidence that related to a death from a different Schlitterbahn waterpark, reports KMBC. Authorities in Kansas were trying to determine Tuesday how a 10-year-old boy suffered a fatal neck injury while riding what is billed as the world's tallest water slide. On Friday, a state court judge threw out those charges. He would have fallen down without the raft.". Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab, was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. The water park is now closed, and the slide has been demolished. Feb. 24, 2019. They were not related to the boy. The Verrckt German for "crazy" or "insane" had been named the world's tallest waterslide by Guinness World Records. The deadly accident happened Sunday at the Schlitterbahn Water Park. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. Caleb Schwab in June 2016. 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 . At this time, we don't know the circumstances that led to Caleb riding this extreme slide. edit to add: From CNN's article - "Its height of 168 feet 7 inches is 5 feet taller than the previous record holder, a water slide at a Rio de Janeiro country . In a rush to build the world's tallest water slide, the operators of a Kansas park glossed over their own findings that the nearly 170-foot-tall ride had major design flaws, skirted basic . The death of a 10-year-old Kansas boy who was decapitated in a 2016 water slide accident led to criminal charges of recklessness and second-degree murder against the owner, designers and. How a Freak Accident Happens. The case focused on a waterslide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. "No words can express the pain we all feel for this terrible tragedy. Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website. A 10-YEAR-old boy was decapitated while riding a water slide in front of his horrified mom and brother in one of the US' worst theme park tragedies. Riders, who must be at least 54 inches tall, were harnessed with two nylon seatbelt-like straps one that crossed the rider's lap, the other stretching diagonally like a car shoulder seatbelt. Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family, said they're heartbroken. 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. Castaneda said he had ridden the slide earlier in the day with his cousin's 14-year-old daughter. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Schlitterbahn allegedly buried or downplayed these reports. Castaneda, who said he hasn't been interviewed by police, said that he started running toward the slide, then heard a lifeguard yelling and a boy screaming hysterically. . 2023 Update, Inside Teen Moms Ryan and Mackenzie Edwards' Relationship Timeline, Find Out Which 'Teen Mom OG' and 'Teen Mom 2' Couples Are Still Together. Following the unspeakable accident, the park immediately shut down. Today is the fifth anniversary of the traumatic death. I know I will. Paul Oberhauser told local television station KCTV his shoulder restraint "busted loose" on his Verruckt raft July 26. 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. It's too awful to even imagine, but now his parents, State Representative Scott Schwab and his wife Michele, are mourning the loss of their young son. 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. 90 Day Fiance's Hamza's Green Card Status 'Battle' Amid Memphis Divorce, '90 Day Fiance' Star Memphis Smith Alleges Hamza Moknii Was 'Abusive', 90 Day's Hamza Requested Paternity Test for Daughter Amid Memphis Split, Dont Be Tardys Kim Zolciak Is 'Heartbroken' Over House Foreclosure, Inside 90 Day Fiance's Tiffany and Dan's Split 'on Good Terms', Are MAFS Stars Chris and Paige Still Together? The park's spokeswoman didn't return messages Tuesday from The Associated Press seeking comment on the claims. 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, known as Verrckt, which is German for crazy or insane, opened in 2014 and was marketed as the tallest waterslide in the world. 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. I was so happy that Schlitterbahn hired me that I didn't think anything about the tragic accident on the Verrckt water coaster the previous year. Kansas City Police also released more information about the incident Monday, calling the boy's death a "fatal neck injury at the end of the ride." ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who witnessed the incident at the water park. Caleb Schwab died Sunday on a slide at the . The slide is also inspected daily. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. North Dakota news site MyNDNow.com reports the boy's parents were with him at the park that day. The slide is 168-feet tall and has 264 stairs leading to the top -- taller than the Statue of Liberty. The 10-year-old son of Kansas politician Scott Schwab died while riding the world's tallest waterslide, the 17-storey Verruckt, in Kansas City, The Sun reports. "I didn't think much about it," she said. All Rights Reserved. The Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City. Additional charges against the defendants included reckless behavior in the design, construction and operation of the ride, along with aggravated child endangerment. An investigation has been launched into how the incident occurred on the "Verruckt" raft ride at the Kansas City attraction. 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. Jon Rust, a professor of textile engineering at North Carolina State University, said the material used on the straps, commonly called hook and loop, isn't designed to keep a person in the seat. Riders plummeted down the nearly vertical 17-story chutetaller than Niagara Fallsat speeds up to 70 miles per hour. 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! This is likely where Caleb had been sitting. Family pastor Clint Sprague told reporters today that Caleb "was an incredible young man" who was "full of life.". I wouldn't be surprised if they lack regulations on safety harnesses as well. The Kansas waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated two years ago will be demolished later this year, officials announced Thursday. 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. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Esteban Castaneda told ABC News he first heard a "boom" on Schlitterbahn Waterpark's Verruckt water slide, which is promoted as the world's tallest. Caleb struck the protective overhead netting and the metal poles that supported it, according to court documents previously obtained by PEOPLE. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Numerous elected officials and their families were in the park when the tragedy happened. AUGUST 9, 2016 REPORT: It's called "the world's tallest water slide," and it reaches higher than the Statue of Liberty and Niagara Falls. 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. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. The two women riding in the raft with Caleb suffered minor facial injuries. Details surrounding the death remain. Kansascity.com reported last year that the Schwab family has received a $20 million settlement from the companies involved in Calebs death. August 9, 2016 5:21 PM EDT. Riders are propelled by jets of water as they go over a hump while riding the world's tallest water slide called "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in 2014. was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. In seeking the indictment, state attorneys showed grand jurors video footage filmed for a Travel Channel show, Xtreme Waterparks, which featured the slide in an episode. Access to the Verruckt remained blocked by a 7-foot-high wooden fence. 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. It appears that Schlitterbahn Waterpark was eager to open the ride to the public despite clear signs of safety hazards. Ultimately, he decided that the defense lawyers arguments of grand jury abuse were credible. Getty/Files. Henry and Schooley were ultimately indicted on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated endangerment of a child, interference with law enforcement, and involuntary manslaughter. "The video, though, is a fictional and dramatized version of events created for entertainment purposes," wrote Burns, who ruled that the video should not have been presented as evidence, according to The New York Times. It was at that point that he noticed the boy appeared to have been decapitated. The lifeguard told Castaneda that there was nothing he could do to help. They realized that he was dead, so I don't think they tried to revive him.. By Melissa Chan. And according to state law, they didnt need those credentials to deem their own ride safeunlike in the neighboring state of Missouri, water parks in Kansas do not require inspections by a state agency. I was hired as an admissions cashiertaking payment and . At a height of 168 feet 7 inches (51.38 m), Verrckt became the world's tallest water slide when it opened on July 10, 2014, surpassing Kilimanjaro at Aldeia das guas Park Resort in Brazil. Video by Nathan Truesdell At 169 feet tall, Verrckt was the tallest waterslide in the world. Anyone can read what you share. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, A lot of our math was based on roller coasters at first, and that didn't translate to a water slide like this. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. My first thought was that it must have been a freak accidentwhat a horrible, horrible story, Truesdell told me. He rode the newly opened ride that day during an event at the waterpark for the families of elected officials, which included his father, former Kansas lawmaker Scott Schwab, who is now the Kansas secretary of state. Castaneda said he 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. Had he begged his parents for weeks? The boy's father, state Rep. Scott Schwab, thanked the community for the outpouring of support his family has received. A Kansas water park plans to tear down a giant water slide on which a 10-year-old boy died in 2016. A witness named Kelsey Friedrichsen recalls, "It looked like he must have somehow been ejected from his seat, bounced around between the netting and the slide and just slid down. "We are obviously disappointed and respectfully disagree with the court's decision," Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a statement. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. The world's tallest water slide turned deadly on Sunday after a Kansas state lawmaker's son was killed on the attraction. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. In February, a judge dismissed the charges against Henry and Schooley. 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. The pair had hoped to ride the "World's Largest Waterslide" together. "The family and each and every one of those affected are foremost on our minds and in our hearts today. Past close calls reported after boy dies on waterslide. We want to hear what you think about this article. The netting that ultimately ended up killing the child was added to prevent the rafts from flying off of the slide completely., In the film, Schooley speaks to a reporter after having tested the ride himself. However, the particular ride that killed a 10-year old boy Sunday remains closed. ", In fact, even Henry told USA Today upon riding the Verrckt, "I'm still recovering mentally. "You don't think you're gonna die.". She had told him that her safety belt's Velcro came undone towards the end of her ride. ABC's Elizabeth Hur has the latest on a pair of amusement park accidents. She had told him her safety belt's Velcro came undone toward the end of her ride. He described a horrific scene after the boy's death. Riders plummeted down the nearly vertical 17-story chutetaller than Niagara Fallsat speeds up to 70. Two women who are not family members were also in the raft at the time and were treated for facial injuries. A person familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday the boy was decapitated. Park-goers Jess Sanford and Melanie Gocke were on the Verrckt slide at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kan., earlier in the day before little Caleb Thomas Schwab was killed on. The ride was designed at the park, led by John Schooley with assistance from park co-owner Jeff Henry. Last year Caleb's family was awarded nearly $20 million in settlement payments from two companies associated with Texas-based Schlitterbahn, along with the ride's general contractor, the raft manufacturer and a consultant on the slide, reports The Kansas City Star. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The slide's name means "insane" in German. In a statement, the Kansas attorney general, Derek Schmidt, did not rule out seeking criminal charges again. 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. -- 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. According to. - Claiming corporate executives were rushed, careless and lacked expertise to design a thrill ride . 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. 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. ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who. 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. 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.". "We held each other and had a little emotional meltdown once we moved away from the immediate area," she says. But once I took a closer look, I started to realize how complicated this story really was, and how this could have happened to anyone who went down that 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. I remember hearing about the accident on the news and thought that the park was going to shut down. Caleb Schwab, 10, was killed in an accident on a ride at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas, his family said on August 7, 2016. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. Castaneda said two other woman were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Along the way, riders clutch ropes along the inside of the raft. The corporation behind the Verruckt water slide in Kansas City and a former operations director who is being charged with manslaughter for the death of a 10-year-old boy did not have any proper . Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website. The slide's name means "insane" in German. They said all rides are inspected daily before opening. "Caleb was a 10-year-old child, but in many ways, he was a man of God," Sprague said. "Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those he came in contact with," he said. The other two were treated for facial injuries. He hit a metal pole and was decapitated. We ask the community to please keep all of those impacted in your thoughts and prayers," representatives for the park said. Judge Dismisses Charges in Boys Decapitation on 170-Foot-Tall Water Slide, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/us/water-slide-death-charges.html. 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) ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who. have been charged with second-degree murder and face charges of aggravated endangerment of a child and aggravated battery. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. How Much Money Do Survivor Contestants Get Paid? We dont 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., Tricia Bath, a lawyer for Mr. By Elizabeth Chuck. They were not related to the boy. And now, the Verrckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas, is the site of a horrible accident, in which 10-year-old Caleb Schwab died Sunday. According to the lawsuit, Verrckts design violated nearly all aspects of longstanding industry safety standards.. ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who witnessed the incident at the water park. A memorial service is planned for Friday afternoon. The dismissed charges were based upon improper "illegal" evidence presented to a grand jury, ruled Judge Robert Burns of Wyandotte County, according to KMBC. With opening day of Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City approaching, the Verrckt water slide still stands as a reminder of the grisly death of 10-year-old Caleb Schwab last year. His death seemed like an isolated accident until whistleblowers from the water park revealed experts who examined the slide found evidence indicating other rafts had gone airborne and collided with the overhead hoops and netting before the fatality, according to the indictment. 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The person . Did he enjoy extreme rides? Authorities did not immediately identify the child who died at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas, but state Rep. Scott Schwab and his wife released a statement saying it was their son Caleb Thomas Schwab. Period, he said. Castaneda said he had ridden the slide earlier in the day with his cousin's 14-year-old daughter. In 2017, Calebs family received a settlement of nearly $20 million from Schlitterbahn and other companies involved in the slide, The Kansas City Star reported. As his raft soared over the crest, Caleb was tossed toward the netting. The slide is 168 feet and has 264 stairs leading to the top -- taller than the Statue of Liberty. Caleb Schwab died six years ago in the tragedy at Schlitterbahn Park, in Kansas, on a water slide called Verruckt, which means crazy in German. We are good at sending thoughts and prayers, Truesdell quipped. Apparently the owner specifically chose Kansas because they have no height restrictions for water slides. Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family said they're heartbroken. Dr. Robert Klapper says to start pool exercises as way to improve back, Elizabeth Holmes has 2nd child as she tries to avoid prison, TikTok sets new default time limits for teens. Caleb Schwab, 10, died in front of his family while riding a 168ft-high water slide in Kansas at Schlitterbahn Water Park. Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family said they're heartbroken. Someone else who had ridden the Verrckt (which is named after the German word for "insane") earlier that day claims the Velcro on her seat belt came undone toward the end of the experience. 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. People also reports the two women riding with Caleb, who were not related to him, suffered minor facial injuries. They were sending sandbags down and basically hoping that they didn't fly off of the slide. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. A lawyer who represented the Schwab family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. All rights reserved. According to the police report, Caleb Schwab died of a neck injury and was decapitated while riding the 168-foot Verruckt water slide. The Associated Press contributed to this report. He described a horrific scene after the boy's death. Caleb was in a raft with two adults who were not related to him when he was killed on the slide, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds tallest. Police said Caleb suffered a fatal neck injury. Safety hazards and lacked expertise to kansas water slide death pictures a thrill ride they lack regulations safety. 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