I remember hearing about the accident on the news and thought that the park was going to shut down. Also indicted were Henry & Sons Construction Company and KC Waterpark Management, both affiliates of Schlitterbahn. How Much Money Do Survivor Contestants Get Paid? He said Caleb was a hugger who loved his parents, sports and Jesus. German for insane, Verrckt was designed to challenge the laws of physics. 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. Caleb Schwab, 10, died on the world's tallest water slide in Kansas City in August 2016 Credit: David Strickland 7 The water slide in Kansas City was billed as the world's tallest at. 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. I know I will. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. "I didn't think much about it," she said. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Henry and Schooley were ultimately indicted on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated endangerment of a child, interference with law enforcement, and involuntary manslaughter. We want to hear what you think about this article. 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. Numerous elected officials and their families were in the park when the tragedy happened. 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 Thomas Schwab, the son of Rep. Scott Schwab, died on the 17-story. In early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure some angles. 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. 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. 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. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Market data provided by Factset. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family said they're heartbroken. She remembered a short video they were required to watch, though she didn't recall that it included any caveats about peril. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. But no matter the reason Caleb ultimately boarded the raft, no one in their worst nightmare would imagine a trip to an amusement park ending this way. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Verruckt was certified as the world's tallest water slide by Guinness World Records. 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. The rafts sometimes lifted from the chute momentarily, and the slide was covered with netting, supported by metal poles, so riders would not fall off. ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who. The slide's name means "insane" in German. -- 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. 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. 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. Over two years after 10-year-old Caleb Schwab lost his life on the tallest waterslide in the world, the amusement park industry has yet to fully reckon with the . Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. All Rights Reserved. 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. The ride was designed at the park, led by John Schooley with assistance from park co-owner Jeff Henry. "The family and each and every one of those affected are foremost on our minds and in our hearts today. They saw a trail of blood follow Caleb Schwabs raft after he was hurled from it into safety netting, suffering catastrophic injuries. Criminal charges brought against him and others in connection with a fatal accident on the slide were dismissed on Friday. The lifeguard told Castaneda that there was nothing he could do to help. Family pastor Clint Sprague told reporters today that Caleb "was an incredible young man" who was "full of life.". 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July 13 (UPI) --A judge has ruled a Kansas waterslide billed as the world's largest, where a boy was killed in 2016, will be demolished this summer.The 17-story Verruckt slide at Schlitterbahn . 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. He was "affectionate" and a "hugger," Sprague said, and he loved baseball, basketball and his church. "Caleb was a 10-year-old child, but in many ways, he was a man of God," Sprague said. Inside the Prize! "We are obviously disappointed and respectfully disagree with the court's decision," Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a statement. By Cox Media Group National Content Desk August 10, 2016 at 11:32 am CDT. The slide's name means "insane" in German. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The two women riding in the raft with Caleb suffered minor facial injuries. People also reports the two women riding with Caleb, who were not related to him, suffered minor facial injuries. The pair had hoped to ride the "World's Largest Waterslide" together. Had he begged his parents for weeks? "It's an accident, but there is an accounting because someone was negligent," Caleb's father said on GMA. 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.. WARNING: The details in this story are graphic and may not be suitable for all readers. 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. I was hired as an admissions cashiertaking payment and . Lawyers for the other defendants either could not be reached on Saturday or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Nebraska man said he "just held on," and a video shot by his wife shows the strap loose at the ride's end. The other two were treated for facial injuries. (David Strickland via AP). Jeffrey Henry, co-owner of the park, and John Schooley, the lead designer of the ride, have been charged with second-degree murder and face charges of aggravated endangerment of a child and aggravated battery. "Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those he came in contact with," he said. The world's tallest water slide turned deadly on Sunday after a Kansas state lawmaker's son was killed on the attraction. In 2012, the Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeff Henry, together with the senior designer John Schooley, fast-tracked Verrckts construction to coincide with an appearance on a reality TV show about amusement parks. Apparently the owner specifically chose Kansas because they have no height restrictions for water slides. It appears that Schlitterbahn Waterpark was eager to open the ride to the public despite clear signs of safety hazards. Caleb, his parents and 3 brothers attended "elected officials day" at the water park on Sunday. 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. ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who witnessed the incident at the water park. We are thankful for all the support and encouragement weve received, she added. He said Caleb was a hugger who loved his parents, sports and Jesus. 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 . Jeffrey W. Henry at the Verrckt waterslide that he helped design for a Kansas water park. ", In a statement, Schlitterbahn officials said they "are deeply and intensely saddened for the Schwab family and all who were impacted by the tragic accident.". Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab, was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. The Kansas waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated two years ago will be demolished later this year, officials announced Thursday. "I heard the noise, and I looked over immediately, and I saw his broken neck and him sliding down the slide leaving a blood trail," Melanie Gocke told CNN. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. The story, it turned out, was one of gross negligence, lax state regulations, and the consequences of hubris. Oberhauser said he reported the matter to park workers. Access to the Verruckt remained blocked by a 7-foot-high wooden fence. Nathan Truesdell, a filmmaker from nearby Missouri, heard about the devastating incident on the news. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. 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. Ms Craig said that during her first trip down the ride with her son and one of his friends, her shoulder restraint came off, something she opted not to report to park workers. Legal Statement. Police say Caleb Schwab was one of three passengers riding in a . His distraught little brother reportedly told Schlitterbahn WaterPark workers: I just saw my little brother die because of one of your attractions.. The slide is also inspected daily. Are Tarek and Christina Still Business Partners After 'Flip or Flop'? All Rights Reserved. When the Verrckt slide opened in 2014, it was billed as "the world's tallest water slide.". 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. It was at that point that he noticed the boy appeared to have been decapitated. 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. WARNING: The details in this story are graphic and may not be suitable for all readers. He hit a metal pole and was decapitated. That was really exciting because we truly didnt know whether we were going to survive it or not, he says. 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. This is likely where Caleb had been sitting. According to the lawsuit, Verrckts design violated nearly all aspects of longstanding industry safety standards.. 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Police were investigating the death as a criminal case although police spokesman Cameron Morgan said Tuesday that designation did not mean they suspect foul play. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The park's spokeswoman didn't return messages Tuesday from The Associated Press seeking comment on the claims. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Although they had built rides before, neither Henry nor Schooley had a background in mechanical engineering. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com. Legal Statement. 10 year old boy Caleb Schwab got decapitated by one of the biggest water slides called "Verrckt" in 2016. The water park is now closed, and the slide has been demolished. . ", In fact, even Henry told USA Today upon riding the Verrckt, "I'm still recovering mentally. There wasn't a lot of science or ride engineering involved in the testing and design, Truesdell said. As chance would have it, Schwabs father was a Kansas state representative. The Associated Press contributed to this report. They realized that he was dead, so I don't think they tried to revive him.. Did he enjoy extreme rides? They were not related to the boy. 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 / AP) KANSAS . North Dakota news site MyNDNow.com reports the boy's parents were with him at the park that day. In February, a judge dismissed the charges against Henry and Schooley. A video showed Caleb was following all rider instructions when he died. However, the particular ride that killed a 10-year old boy Sunday remains closed. She said the ride's operators sent them down the slide even though their combined weight was 393 pounds shy of the 400 weight minimum the park advertises as a requirement. When Conrad herself rode the slide, she expressed safety concerns about the straps to a water park lifeguard. A memorial service is planned for Friday afternoon. 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 . It's unclear whether the straps on "Verruckt" - German for "insane" - played any role in the death of Caleb Schwab, a Kansas lawmaker's son. Had either of the parents ridden the slide before? 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No one had ever done anything like this before. 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. The slide's name means "insane" in German. Paul Oberhauser told local television station KCTV his shoulder restraint "busted loose" on his Verruckt raft July 26. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. 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.