2023 Cable News Network. Caleb Schwab died while riding a water slide at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, police said. - A Kansas waterslide hyped as the world's highest was a "deadly weapon" that had already injured more than a dozen people before a 10-year-old boy was decapitated on it in 2016 . "He would have fallen down without the raft. A Kansas City man who had made a point of riding due to favorable experiences with the Texas Schlitterbahn parks recalled having to grab the raft's auxiliary straps when the Velcro straps holding him came loose after the first drop; he was thankful that his son had used the weight limit as an excuse not to ride. "A lot of our math was based on rollercoasters at first, and that didn't translate to a water slide like this. [13] This led to an uneven weight distribution that contributed to the raft going airborne, despite the cumulative weight of 546 pounds (248kg), less than the maximum recommended weight of 550 pounds (250kg). Caleb was killed when his raft became airborne. "The Kansas City, Kansas Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene and located Caleb Schwab, 10 years old, dead from a fatal neck injury at the end of the ride, in the pool. The video was taken two years before this weeks tragedy. Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City was a water park that opened on July 15, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. Police said Schwabs death was due to a neck injury but are still investigating the circumstances of the deadly accident. [19] However, at least thirteen riders suffered non-fatal injuries, such as concussions or slipped and herniated discs many of which had long-term effects after either hitting the netting or being thrown into it. 2. . The opening of the 17-storeyfreefall water ride has been revealed to have beenpushed back twice with further safetyconcerns coming to lightafter young Caleb Schwab was decapitated while on the ride, with horrified witnesses recounting the horror blood-streaks left on the ride. In Touch Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Schlitterbahn announced today that the 168 foot tall Verrckt water slide at the Kansas City, Kansas waterpark will be permanently closed and taken down after a death of a young boy in August. Verrckt (German meaning "crazy" or "insane", listen) was a water slide located at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City water park in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. He would have fallen down without the raft, it's kind of like a tube.". The Verrckt the worlds tallest water slide, at Kansas Citys Schlitterbahn water park is known for its unparalleled, 168-foot vertical drop. Officials in Wyandotte County, Kansas, where it was to be built, were delighted when the company announced the plans in 2005, seeing this as the culmination of efforts to draw residents of the Kansas City metropolitan area to spend their disposable income in Kansas rather than Missouri. [9][43][44] The indictment accused the park of negligence, concealing design flaws, and downplaying the severity of previous injuries reported on the ride. "That should tell you something about how I felt about it", he said. [47] One day later, on March 27, the Kansas Attorney General's office released a new indictment against Henry, Schooley, and Henry & Sons Construction Company privately owned by Schlitterbahn charging them with second-degree murder in addition to seventeen other felonies. KANSAS CITY, KS -- 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. WATCH: 10-Year-Old Son of Kansas Lawmaker Dies on 168-Foot Water Slide Called Insane, Jenna Bush Hager's Funniest Stories About Life in the White House, See All of the Celebrity Babies Born in 2020, 'Forgotten' American Sarah Krivanek Tells Her Story as She and Brittney Griner Are Freed from Russian Prison, Husband Thinks It's 1993 as He Wakes Up from Accident. In November 2012, Schlitterbahn Waterparks announced plans for the world's tallest and fastest water slide, Verrckt. The theme park with one of the most gruesome accidents in U.S. History is once again open for business. Schooley and fellow co-owner Jeff Henry originally faced charges of involuntary manslaughter and a number of others over Caleb's death, but the charges were dropped in 2019 owing to "improper evidence and testimony". WARNING: The details in this story are graphic and may not be suitable for all readers. Miles was released on bail Friday afternoon. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. A lot of our math was based on rollercoasters at first, and that didn't translate to a water slide like this. Caleb Schwab, (10) the son of a Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab, died on a trip down the . He said: "I'm still recovering mentally. Jessica Alba Celebrates Her Son's 5th Birthday with Family, Plus More Celebs at Disney Parks! [3], Verrckt was eventually completed and officially opened on July 10,[18] attracting national media coverage. 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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 of 10-year-old Caleb Thomas Schwab from a neck injury while riding the worlds tallest water slide. Verruckt is closed during the investigation. There are so many questions remaining about the rides construction. Wyandotte . We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. It's the scariest thing I've done. [2] The ride was designed to accommodate three-person rafts, each weighing 100 pounds (45kg) and carried up by conveyor to the top of the slide, while riders climbed 264 steps to the top. Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman Officer Cameron Morgan said the boy died at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, which is located about 15 miles west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. It's like jumping off the Empire State Building. The park did not open for the 2019 season. Two woman with whom he was riding suffered minor injuries. Just before the opening, however, he dropped any age limit. Teen Dies in Rafting Accident After Truck Pulls Him from Pond to Parking Lot. "His friend was screaming for help and I think that's when staff members and medics and stuff started running.". Darcey, Stacey Gush About Cape Verdean Background. 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 . Caleb Schwab died in front of his family while riding a 168ft-high water slide in Kansas, billed as theworld's tallest. In wrongful death cases the limit is $250,000. [3] In November 2016, Schlitterbahn announced that Verrckt would be demolished following the conclusion of a criminal investigation. The tragedy itself, and perhaps how Schlitterbahn handled the aftermath of the tragedy along with . Those were added later. It doesn't exist anymore. What her boyfriend Josh Foster pointed out was first responders covering the body of 10-year-old Caleb. ", Reporting by HILARY SHENFELD and CAITLIN KEATING. The official Facebook page of Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. He and Schooley knew that Schlitterbahn had to live up to the hype Henry had created and design something previously unheard of. At that point, Scott said that in his state of shock he repeatedly asked the man if his son had lost his life. The 168ft-high Verruckt, which means "insane" in German, was certified as the world's tallest water slide by Guinness World Records. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. kansas water park death lah dnt lead _00013119.jpg. Her friend Jess Sanford added: "I only saw Caleb slide down the last half of the slide, and then I saw the blood. The Kansas waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated two years ago will be demolished later this year, officials announced Thursday. (WFLA) The theme park with one of the most gruesome accidents in U.S. History is once again open for business. What grocery stores are open on New Years Eve, Day? Schlitterbahn Kansas City was reduced to a $180 million park without any lodging, and was not open for a full season until 2010. Sanford recalled that as Schwab hit the end of the slide, his friend, frantic, called for help, with medics trailing soon after. Schwab and his wife released a statement confirming it was their son Caleb Thomas Schwab, whose family were at the park with him when he died. Creator Kazuki Takahashi Died While Trying to Save a U.S. Solider and Girl from Riptide, Fla. [54][55][56] The judge's ruling reprimanded state attorneys for presenting the Xtreme Waterparks episode to jurors as fact, instead of as a "fictional and dramatized version of events created for entertainment purposes",[57] and expert witnesses for claiming that the designers of the slide were negligent in not following ASTM standards, though the law at the time did not require that those standards be followed. It is the world's tallest waterslide. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. However, we have restored the page for those who are interested in rider requirements. [9] According to court documents, Schooley conceded that, "If we actually knew how to do this, and it could be done that easily, it wouldn't be that spectacular. Republican lawmaker Scott Schwab's son Calebdied on the Verruckt attraction at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. Kansas waterslide death: Two women also injured in accident that killed 10-year-old boy Boy dies on 'world's biggest waterslide' at Kansas park Water slide death: 10-year-old Caleb Schwab is in . Verrckt was well-received upon opening, winning a Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today in 2014. As you can see, at the time it was shot, there were no safety nets enclosing the chute to retain the rafts. Verruckt was certified as the world's tallest water slide by Guinness World Records. It was announced in September 2005 by Schlitterbahn Waterparks. August 10, 2016 at 11:32 am CDT. Verrckt was originally scheduled to open in June 2013, but difficulties during various stages of construction and safety testing resulted in several delays. The boy, Caleb Schwab, was with his family at the Schlitterbahn waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas, on Aug. 7, 2016, when the raft he was riding on the 17-story Verrckt . Other traumatised witnesses said they saw Caleb's family crying as emergency services treated the other two women who were on the raft. I was hired as an admissions cashiertaking payment and . The Home's Future After Lisa Marie's Death, RHOBH's Kyle Richards Shuts Down Rumors She Uses Weight-Loss Drug Ozempic, Sister Wives Meri Brown Slammed for Selling New $6K Love Retreat, Machine Gun Kelly Slams 'Insecure' People Hating on His Unique 'Style', Teen Moms Catelynn Seemingly Confirms Leaking Ashley Jones 2nd Pregnancy, '90 Day Fiance's Big Ed Has a Big Net Worth! Are '90 Day Fiance' Stars Big Ed and Liz Still Together Amid Engagement? "There's not so much of a hands-on walking through, making sure everything is safe. July 10, 2014. The park has since been shut down while an investigation into the boy's death continues. August 2018 76. "His friend was screaming for help and I think that's when staff members and medics and stuff started running.". 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Caleb Schwab, 10, died on theworld's tallest water slide in Kansas City in August 2016, The water slide in Kansas City was billed as the world's tallest at 168ft high, Fire engines pictured at the scene of the fatal accident in 2016, The ride was named Verruck and translates to 'insane' in German, Footage shows rafts becoming airborne over the hump of a slide on which a boy was killed, Ten-year-old Caleb Schwab was killed when his raft hit a metal pole supporting a safety net, The Verrckt was the tallest water slide in the world when it opened in 2014, Worlds tallest water slide that decapitated boy, 10, was so dangerous its designer admits we didnt know if people would survive, Mum had to be held back from horror after son, 10, was decapitated on water slide at Schlitterbahn Water Park, Tokyo stabbing - 'Knifeman' said he wanted to 'kill happy women' in rampage on train that wounded ten in Olympic city, Serial rapist, 68, jailed for 16 years for raping woman - despite insisting 'I've changed' after early prison release, Mom, 35, is beaten by dirt bike riders who dragged her from car in front of her daughter, 8, after she honked at them, Toddler in nappy found wandering through the streets alone in the rain as worried Aldi shoppers raise the alert, Baby girl 'would not have had the strength to cry' after mum Verphy Kudi left Asiah to die on 6-day 18th birthday bender, How Neanderthal are YOU? That was when my boyfriend said, 'I think there is someone else'.". Did Brady play his last game at Raymond James? Schlitterbahn in Galveston was open and busy on Monday, but many parents took precautions. Eyewitness Melanie Gocke toldCNN: "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.". In the statement, police said: "Caleb Schwab was 1 of 3 passengers riding in a boat on the Verruckt Water Slide on August 7th, 2016. Schlitterbahn's fourth waterpark, Schlitterbahn Kansas City, opened on July 15, 2009, on land that originally was home to the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds near Interstate 434.Grand plans for the waterpark included a resort with 1,000 hotel rooms, a sporting goods store, and an area of shops and restaurants. She said: "There was a woman being treated for some kind of injury on her face and head. He said: "I'm still recovering mentally. I looked over and saw his broken neck and him sliding down the slide leaving a blood trail, a witness aid. [7][10] Although the park reopened three days later, the ride remained closed. [31] This created an uneven weight distribution, which some experts concluded may have contributed to the raft going airborne, though the total weight of 546 pounds (248kg) was less than the maximum recommended weight of 550 pounds (250kg). Experts Say Caleb Schwab Should Have Been In Center Seat", "The making of Schlitterbahn's Verruckt water slide: Too much, too fast? However, Henry and Schooley, while watching riders that day, noted how many rafts seemed to be going airborne on the lower hump, into the emergency netting meant to keep them on the slide. [14] Because it was beyond the 120 feet (37m) that zoning codes permitted, the design required a variance. Another witness Esteban Castaneda told ABC News that he and his 14-year-old cousin had ridden the slide earlier that day and the teen told him that towards the end of the ride, the Velcro on her belt had come undone. "Schlitterbahn is a family water park, but this isn't a family ride. ", "Opening of world's tallest water slide delayed", "Verruckt: Designer of tallest slide takes the plunge", "What We Know About the Young Boy Decapitated on the World's Tallest Water Slide", "Caleb Schwab, 10, Decapitated in Water Slide Accident, Police Confirm", "KCK police release details about water park tragedy; pastor provides statement on 10-year-old boy killed", "Kansas Waterpark to Reopen Wednesday After Boy's Death", "Son of Kansas lawmaker dies on Verrckt slide at Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kan", "A Boy Died on This Water Slidein One of the Many States That Barely Ensure That Rides Are Safe", "Verruckt Waterslide Death Result Of Poor Weight Distribution? [11][12] The Guinness Book of World Records named Verrckt the world's tallest water slide in April 2014, before it was even finished. Castaneda said two other woman were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. ", He said at the time that while the ride was dangerous, it was "safe dangerous".7. The ride was designed at the park, led by John Schooley with assistance from park co-owner Jeff Henry. [53], On February 22, 2019, criminal charges were dismissed against Henry, Schooley, and Miles because inadmissible evidence had been presented to the grand jury. Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website. He asked: "I just need to hear it from you, is my son dead." And he just shook his head, and I said, 'I need to hear it from you, is he dead? The ride, which is taller than both the Statue of Liberty and Niagra Falls, left even its creator terrified. The death occurred when the raft he was in went airborne at the lower bump and struck a metal support of the netting, decapitating him. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. She said: "It looked like he must have somehow been ejected from his seat, bounced around between the netting and the slide and just slide down. 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. Are 90 Day Fiance: Love in Paradises Yohan and Daniele Still Together? [5] No name was given during the announcement, while specifications on the height of the ride were kept secret in order to ensure that the completed ride would set a world record for its creation. N'T post to any of your accounts without asking first and saw his broken neck and Him sliding down.. 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