We may earn a commission from these links. But the death over the weekend of a Kansas state lawmaker's 10-year-old son on a waterslide billed as the world's largest is the latest example that dangers lurk in the appealing slides and wave pools. Verruckt was certified as the world's tallest waterslide by Guinness World Records. If General Motors has a fatality, would we say that was a bad investment? he said. On November 13, 2012, he was at a trade show when he was approached by producers from the Travel Channel who were working on a new show that looked at some of the most incredible water parks and water attractions in the world. Two media sneak preview days in 2014 were cancelled because of problems with a conveyor system that hauls 100-pound rafts to the top of the slide. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, had already put together an effort to convince residents to spend their recreational dollars in Kansas instead of Missouri. Love Island fans' horror as axed Olivia handed power to destroy TWO other stars, Frogmore eviction shows King's drawn a line with Harry, Strictly star bags life-changing EastEnders role as part of new family, Baby's body found after huge search as cops quiz Constance Marten & lover, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Even with the slide finally down, a community that once looked to Schlitterbahn as a summer refuge remains shaken and searching for answers of what went wrong. THE10-year-old son of a Kansas lawmaker was decapitated while riding on one of the world's tallest waterslides, horrified witnesses have said. Instead, Prosapio offered a statement.The Verrckt accident was a terrible and tragic event and we cannot imagine the suffering that the victims and their families have endured, Prosapio said in an email. J[. Were talking about a child who was decapitated. Other traumatised witnesses said they saw Caleb's family crying as emergency services treated the other two women who were on the raft. Im telling you, the ride that was built by John Schooley and Jeff Henry is not the same ride that that boy was on the day he died., He added, If I really believed I was responsible for the death of that little boy, Id kill myself right now.. As the parks proliferate, concern has grown about the risks present even when most of the water is shallower than 3 feet - people who aren't good swimmers, especially young children, mixed with the unexpected hit of waves and falls that can lead to concussions or even drownings. But dominating Texas wasnt enough for the Henrys. When it was time to check out Verrckt, Schwab offered a reminder to his boysspecifically to ten-year-old Caleb, the second oldest of his children who loved playing outside. Tough schedule. I was pretty shocked to see the approach they took when designing, building, and maintaining the Verrckt, said Deborah Hersman, former president and CEO of the National Safety Council. Giant Verrckt Water Slide at Schlitterbahn Kansas City. 'Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those he came in contact with,' the statement said. Another instance involved a man who identified himself as the designer of the slide, whom prosecutors strongly believed was Henry: He allegedly bragged to Richard Palmer, a forty-two-year-old who was seeking medical assistance after breaking his toes on the slide, about his achievements and how he wanted to build a ride taller than the Verrckt. And she hasn't removed her tweet about it being a decapitation. Two horrified witnesses have spoken out about the gruesome scene when a boy was decapitated by the world's largest waterslide. Caleb Schwab had been decapitated. This file photo shows Schlitterbahn's 168-foot-tall Verruckt speed slide/water coaster in Kansas City, Kansas, Caleb was understood to be sat at the front of the raft and was ejected as it hit the second drop (pictured) some 50ft from the ground. But, it's Twitter, so it's not that reliable. Criminal Murder Charges dropped in Schlitterbahn Waterslide Case where 10-year-old boy was decapitated during a ride at Kansas water park. Three riders are weighted together on a scale, and combined must be between 400 and 550 lbs. In early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure some angles at a cost of $1 million, Henry said. Kansas City Police confirmed the boy had died froma 'fatal neck injury at the end of the ride, in the pool'. State inspectors reportedly last checked the waterpark in 2012, well before the Verruckt opened. The boy's family had reached a settlement with . Storey added: The industrys long-standing safety record exists because safety is our top priority., A safety expert whos worked with Schooley and Henry says allegations of misconduct are baffling. Another witness to the tragedy revealed some of the gruesome details surrounding the boys death earlier in the week. Even with the investigation into Schlitterbahn and Verrckt, and the larger questions surrounding safety regulation and oversight within the amusement-park industry, experts and lobbyists say that most rides are safe enough.In 2016, the most recent year from which data is available, 384 million guests experienced 1.7 billion rides at four hundred U.S. amusement parks without injury, according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the worlds largest trade association representing the global attractions industry. When she said no, I said, Theres a first for everything.. Caleb was in Raft B, joined by sisters Matraca Baetz and Hannah Barnes in the seats behind him. This is a scary picture. On the back of his headstone is another image of Caleb wearing the cap from his youth baseball team, the Kansas City Mudcats. The comments below have been moderated in advance. As far as Im concerned, they should be in jail for the rest of their lives. Of course, a jury will decide whether they will be. It was just exhilarating., It was a sentiment echoed by the construction employee, who, after loading the one-hundred-ten-pound sandbags into the rafts for hundreds of test runs, said that he or she wasnt leaving Kansas until I ride this thing. I rode it damn near twenty times in a day and a half, said the installer, who added that the ride, which felt like a freaking freight train, did not feel unsafe. The Associated Press contributed to this story. The Red Cross offers tips specifically for water parks. A humid breeze presses down on the dead summer grass. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. There were also suggestions that the harness on the ride was not working properly. According to People . The park was tentatively scheduled to reopen Wednesday, but 'Verruckt is closed,' according to the statement. WARNING: The. The concept didnt exist. Drownings also occur. Thats negligent homicide, said Ken Martin, a nationally recognized amusement-ride inspector and safety analyst since 1993. The Schlitterbahn waterpark, in Kansas city - where Caleb Schwab tragically died on theVerruckt ride Sunday, has been sued three times for negligence since 2014. Kobey Lyons told theDailymail.com that he'd been told by woman at the park that day that the velcro straps on the ride were not working properly on the day of the tragedy. Caleb Schwab, 10, was decapitated on a water slide in Kansas five years ago ( Image: I just made it up on the spot, Henry recalled to Grantland. 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. This is absolutely horrible! No jail for mum who starved her baby on water only diet, Fire warning issued over kids phone chargers, Baby joy! The 370-acre (1.5 km 2 ), $750 million development included a nearly 40-acre (160,000 m 2) waterpark, which is Schlitterbahn's fourth waterpark and its first outside Texas . By Two workers are charged with lying to . Henry entered a not guilty plea and rarely spoke during the hearing. Caleb's death is not the first at a Schlitterbahn facility. So it's probably bloodwhich is really creepy and really sad. It's a treat most of us have not only enjoyed, but looked forward to over the years. Prosapio could not say whether the boy fell from the 17-story ride and she could not even say what time Sunday afternoon the incident occurred. We have to understand what's happened. A former Schlitterbahn executive has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2016 death of Caleb Schwab on the Verruckt water slide. It was not immediately clear why as 12-year-old was on the slide. That poor boy had his whole life left to live. It's kind of like a tube.". Five defendants are charged in Schwab's death: Jeff Henry, John Schooley, Henry and Son's Construction, Tyler Miles and Schlitterbahn Water Park (KC Water Park Management Company). Schlitterbahn shut down after the accident and will remain closed Monday. Henry later told Texas Monthly he was acting when he said those things in order to glamorize Verrckt, but at the time, he continued to glorify the ride's danger: Its complex, its fast, its mean. Boy, 12, dies on Verrckt slide at Schlitterbahn water park in KCK, http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article94254507.html#storylink=cpy, http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2014/07/09/verruckt-water-slide-schlitterbahn-park/12411769/. I could die going down this ride., Attorneys for Henry and Schooley did not respond to multiple interview requests. Many lawmakers were at Schlitterbahn for Elected Official Day. 10-year-old boy dies on 17-story waterslide The Verrckt - the world's tallest water slide, at Kansas City's Schlitterbahn water park - is known for its unparalleled, 168-foot vertical drop.. The construction employee, who compared their projects for Schlitterbahn to working for Disneyland, said that while modifying the slide wasnt intimidating, it was certainly exhausting.This kind of project had never been done before, the construction employee said. Roller coaster death tragedy. There are two Bible verses on the back of Calebs headstone. T he Schlitterbahn waterpark, in Kansas city - where Caleb Schwab tragically died on the Verruckt ride Sunday, has been sued three times for negligence since 2014. Updated on: August 9, 2016 / 7:35 AM / CBS News . Do you have any engineering or business background? Are you a high school dropout? For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Caleb Thomas Schwab, 10, died in an accident on theworld's tallest waterslide in Kansas City, Caleb Thomas Schwab was decapitated while on the ride with his family, including his father Scott Schwab, a Kansas state lawmaker, left devastated, Witnesses said they were devastated when they saw the blood streaked Verruckt slide, The waterslide in Kansas City is billed as the world's tallest and is 168ft high, The ride is named Verruck and translates to "insane" in German, Caleb was the son of Kansas Republican state representative Scott Schwab, Fire engines pictured at the scene of the accident yesterday, Those wanting to ride the waterslide must climb 264 stairs to reach the top, The ride uses rafts to hold groups of people as they fly down at speeds of 65mph, Republican Scott Schwab's son Caleb was killed while ridingon the Verruckt attraction at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. Her petition showed that her accident resulted in multiple spiral fractures of her tibia and fibula. A former lifeguard who spoke with Esquire saw firsthand the issues with not just the record-breaking slide, but also the work culture at the Kansas City park. They were prepared to make a very substantial financial investment in the state of Kansas, and that always gets legislators attention, Sloan told Esquire of Schlitterbahn. "Not only had Tyler ridden the slide numerous times, but, as the State is aware, he had scheduled his wife, to ride it on the day of the accident," the attorneys, Tom and Tricia Bath, said in their statement. It can be found at http://rdcrss.org/23X5Zqq . Police have revealed that 10-year-old Caleb Schwab - who was involved in a fatal accident at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City on Sunday - died of a "neck . As people continue to try to figure out how a ten-year-old boy lost his life going down the worlds tallest waterslide, Schlitterbahns leadership, as well as the employees responsible for the rides upkeep, have taken the brunt of the blame. A lone cherry-wood fence and rope blocked off the attraction from the public, with a sign reading, THIS ATTRACTION IS CLOSED., Days before Schlitterbahn announced it would tear down the ride, I asked a lifeguard what the current staff tells him and his colleagues about Verrckt. I stared at the white waterslide once described by Henry as an erotic piece of artits curves and drops were as grand and ambitious as advertised. Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those who he came into contact with, the Schwabs said. The company also promised to aggressively fight the criminal charges against Miles and the park, and respond to the allegations in the 47-page indictment "point by point.". To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Esteban Castaneda, who was at the waterpark at the time of the incident said there were several loud bangs that came from the ride before a body washed down the slide after a raft. The 2014 opening of Verruckt was delayed a few times, though the operators did not explain why. He was being held without bond, and a jail booking clerk said he would remain there until a court appearance Tuesday. And he says, I know, Dad.. On July 24, 2016, Dueas, who had made multiple trips to Schlitterbahns parks in Kansas City and South Padre Island, Texas, visited the water park with his friend, son, then-wife, and her family. The big slide there - Verruckt, or German for "insane" - has been closed since Caleb died. The 10-year-old. Neither Egan nor Dueas has been back since, but Dueas said he isnt opposed to it. And he just kept saying, No, trust me, you dont want to go any further, she recalled. The opening of the Verrckt was delayed several times as the development team made adjustments. Is that one of the ride boats to the right? After a boy died while riding a nearly 170-foot-tall waterslide in Kansas in 2016, state attorneys brought criminal charges against operators and associates of the water park, accusing them of. In an interview published in July 2018 with Texas Monthly, Henry refused to acknowledge that he could have designed something that would eventually kill Caleb. Its German name means insane.. The driving force behind it was Henry, a high school graduate who spent one week at college and never had any formal training in engineering. Why would you ever do that?. We literally worked around the clock.. Would seem to require a harness failure, ejection, and striking the metal supports holding up the netting or some hole in the netting, if the outcome being tweeted is accurate. In March 2018, a forty-seven-page indictment from a grand jury in Wyandotte County revealed, among other things, whistle-blower evidence of how Schlitterbahn officials allegedly covered up other safety-related incidents on Verrckt, and concluded that the slides lack of safety standards posed a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death or severe bodily harm. While it isnt unique for amusement parks to get sued for isolated incidents, the magnitude of the Schwab tragedy, and Schlitterbahns decorated profile, made the grand jurys findings of the water parks negligence that much more damning. His case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. I must communicate reality to all. In the plans, you see a destination comprising the rides of Schlitterbahn, the culture of the San Antonio River Walk, and the lodging of Swiss Family Robinson. Samantha Soper's head was whipped side to side like that of a rag doll on a raft that had been repaired with duct tape, causing the twenty-three-year-old to suffer from severe neck pain. I've seen retweets of her post with comments about his head becoming caught up in the netting. If found guilty, Henry faces a maximum penalty of up to 117 monthsalmost ten yearsin prison. Witness accounts on social media stated the weight of the 2 adult women and the boy did not equal 400 pounds. All of the regulations are really done at the state and local level with respect to amusement parks and waterparks. The indictment also said Henry helped design the giant waterslide even though he had "no technical or engineering credentials" and that he set a "rushed timeline" for its construction. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. While trying to get back in her tube, her leg became stuck 'resulting in multiple spiral fractures of her tibia and fibula,' according to the suit, which was settledfor $20,000. Lawyers also argued the grand jury shouldn't have heard testimony about another death at a Schlitterbahn park in Texas because it's not relevant to what happened here. The Verruckt waterslide under construction on November 11, 2013. You could tell where people hit it. That is absolutely not what we would expect., Delays would creep in and cause a massive redesign that would stretch into 2014. As soon as his raft hit that first drop, the velocity of the fall caused Dueass strap to come flying off. House Speaker Ray Merrick told the Kansas City Star Schwab's family was "the center of his world.". During testing of the water slide, there was video footage of rafts doing exactly that. Its a sentiment echoed by Mike Taylor, the public relations director for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. The canopy at the top of the ride was long gone. Messages left Monday with Kansas' Labor Department were not immediately returned. And I said, I need to hear it from you: Is he dead? He [said], Yes, your son is dead.. "That's why a full investigation is necessary. Schlitterbahns future also remains uncertain. Neither were related to Schwab, but his parents were with him at the park that day. Tyler Austin Miles, 29, was booked into the Wyandotte County Detention Center Friday morning after he turned himself in, jail records show. Schlitterbahn in Kansas City has been sued for negligence at least three times all in 2014 though none of those legal actions involved the waterslide. Paul Oberhauser told CBS News that his safety belt came off while riding with a friend and his 9-year-old son about two weeks ago. A couple of hours later on August 7, 2016, Scott Schwab brought his wife and four sons to the park. I like to think theyre pals up there.. Within a year, fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds suffered concussions. For decades, amusement parks have been exempt from federal regulation, leaving in charge state governments, such as Kansas, that offer little, if any, oversight. The boy's body was covered up with a sheet. . Judge Jay-Jay shares her advice on making friends as adults, Every couple who's left Married At First Sight Australia 2023, Discover where it all went wrong for Josh and Melissa on Married At First Sight, "This man does not deserve me" Caitlin's emotional speech leaving Married At First Sight, Treasure Island Matty McLean has a secret weapon to win Treasure Island, In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle Amy Bowkett got to work. KANSAS CITY, Kan. A judge in Wyandotte County, Kansas dismissed charges in connection with the death of Caleb Schwab on the Verruckt water slide at Schlitterbahn Water Park in 2016. Thrilryder29, On Sunday, ten-year-old Caleb Schwab died at the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City while on a 168 foot high slide. Todd Kohlhepp murdered 4 employees at the Superbike Motorsport in South Carolina, after the employees had "embarrassed" him and refused to give him a refund for a motorcycle. Egan, a twenty-four-year-old detention officer for a local police department, remembered how she immediately felt herself lifting off the raft. Later that afternoon, Sanford and Gocke were hanging out at one of the picnic tables at Boogie Bay, the final area of Schlitterbahn Kansas Citys extensive lazy-river setup with a view of Verrckt. Caleb and his father,. The Verrckt slide at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark is the tallest in the world. Jess Stanford and Melanie Gocke were at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kansas, on the same day a ten-year-old boy was killed on the 17-storey ride last week. He said, Its always on my mind: What if Jeffrey got on there?. On its way up to the second hill of Verrckt, Raft B went airborne, colliding with a metal pole and netting meant to prevent riders from being thrown from the ride. All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts. In fact, People reports that the initial opening date in 2014 was moved several times due to glitches with the ride. The slide won .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}Best New Ride (WaterPark) in 2014 and was voted the fifth best water-park ride in the world in its first two years by Amusement Today. A floor a day. "We don't have any news so far about our Kansas City park at the time," Prosapio told the Kansas City Star. Caleb Thomas Schwab, 10, died Sunday while riding an 168-foot-tall waterslide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas Witnesses say he was decapitated after he flew off raft and hit. The safety of our guests is a priority, so in addition to the safety and what happened on the ride, our staff are affected. It was his first appearance in Kansas since Schwabs death. State inspectors reportedly last checked the waterpark in 2012, well before the Verruckt opened in 2014. Time, is of the essence. After delays forced the park into a soft opening in 2009 and a full-season opening in 2010, Schlitterbahn Kansas City, without any of the lodging originally envisioned, was labeled as a $180 million investment, missing the initial projection by more than three-quarters of the value. "Schlitterbahn is a family water park, but this isn't a family ride. You read it quietly and are reminded again that Caleb Schwab should still be here. Henry wanted to change that. When he ran forward to help, he saw a lifeguard desperately trying to hold back a gathering crowd. Other witness accounts stated the scale at the top of the slide was malfunctioning that day. Sign up for a new account in our community. House Speaker Ray Merrick told the Kansas City Star that Schwab's family was 'the center of his world.'. Caleb Thomas. He was the son of Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab, of Olathe, and the family reached settlements of nearly $20 million with Schlitterbahn and various companies associated with the design and construction of the waterslide. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. She said her flotation tube collided with another tube during the descent sending her flying. The boy was decapitated after the raft on which he was riding went airborne. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Mayor Hinges on Voter Rolls, Preventing a Repeat of WWII-Era Imprisonment, Fox News Told Viewers What They Wanted to Hear. The indictment against Miles and the park alleges that Verruckt met few, if any, industry standards and that Miles delayed or avoided necessary repairs, even after the ride's brake system failed. Kansas state Sen. Greg Smith, an Overland Park Republican, said that although state law doesn't specifically address waterslides, it's clear they 'would fall into that category.'. In April 2017, the Kansas legislature, following an impassioned speech from Calebs father, strengthened a law on amusement-ride inspections that previously allowed amusement-park operators to not share private inspections with state officials, giving the state one of the weakest sets of regulations nationwide. They dont even talk about it anymore, really, the young employee said to me, almost embarrassed. A Wyandotte County judge on Friday dismissed all charges against Schlitterbahn Waterpark officials, saying he found multiple abuses by the Kansas Attorney General's Office in the grand jury. Prosapio said Sunday that the park's rides are inspected daily and by an 'outside party' before the start of each season. KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- 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. In a worrying development, the waterslide has reportedly never been inspected by the state since opening two years ago. Four rides at the water park remained closed after regulators found that Schlitterbahn did not comply with new legislation implemented in response to Schwabs death. 13 years later, he kidnapped 31 year old Kala Brown, keeping her chained to a wall inside a shipping container for 65 days. Theres a hole in our family, and were learning to live with that.. Ugh I can't even imagine that happening, thoughts out to the family and friends, especially to the other 2 that were on this ride when it happened. Courtesy of Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts; Retouching: Will Herwig. The Wyandotte County coroner's office began a post-mortem examination on Monday. 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 . The Fire Department, of course, is here. Authorities initially said the victim was 12 years old, but Clint Sprague, a pastor acting as the family's spokesman, said Caleb was 10 and is one of the couple's four sons. Inspected by the state and local level with respect to amusement parks and.... Came off while riding with a friend and his 9-year-old son about weeks. Made adjustments off the raft products we back our team of experts our... Paul Oberhauser told CBS News that his safety belt came off while riding on one the... Collided with another tube during the descent sending her flying world Records park, but looked forward to help he. 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