A memorial service is planned for Friday afternoon. Are Tarek and Christina Still Business Partners After 'Flip or Flop'? The water park is now closed, and the slide has been demolished. They were not related to the boy. Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website. It also can degrade with use. Getty/Files. 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 . "It is with an absolutely broken heart we have to ask for prayers for the Schwab family, who suddenly and tragically lost their sweet and energetic son in an accident today," he wrote. The person . or redistributed. No one had ever done anything like this before. 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. Although he has not seen or ridden Verruckt, Martin said a more solid restraint system that fits over the body - similar to those used in roller coasters - may have been better. "It's an accident, but there is an accounting because someone was negligent," Caleb's father said on GMA. Apparently the owner specifically chose Kansas because they have no height restrictions for water slides. The pair had hoped to ride the "World's Largest Waterslide" together. In Touch Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Reserved. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. All rights reserved. But on Friday a judge dismissed the charges and said prosecutors had submitted improper evidence.. 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 168ft high 7 Fire engines pictured at the scene of the fatal accident in 2016 Credit: Reuters 7 Schlitterbahn allegedly buried or downplayed these reports. The Kansas City Star reports an attorney representing an affiliate of Kansas City, Kansas, park . We are good at sending thoughts and prayers, Truesdell quipped. On Friday, a state court judge threw out those charges. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. He said Caleb was a hugger who loved his parents, sports and Jesus. The lifeguard looked at me and assured me that its really not a big deal, she told Fox News. People also reports the two women riding with Caleb, who were not related to him, suffered minor facial injuries. But the Kansas attorney general said in a statement that he may still consider future criminal charges. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In his ruling, the judge, Robert Burns of Wyandotte County, wrote that there was illegal evidence that should not have been presented to the grand jury and called into question videos and expert testimony presented to jurors. Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family said they're heartbroken. Riders plummeted down the nearly vertical 17-story chutetaller than Niagara Fallsat speeds up to 70. "We are obviously disappointed and respectfully disagree with the court's decision," Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a statement. "I think we have a serious issue with the restraint system. The boy's parents Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab and his wife, Michele have not spoken publicly since the death. Jeff Henry, Verrckt creator and Schlitterbahn co-owner, told USA Today about the several delays in opening the slide in 2014: "We had many issues on the engineering side. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com. 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. ", In fact, even Henry told USA Today upon riding the Verrckt, "I'm still recovering mentally. The Kansas waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy was decapitated two years ago will be demolished later this year, officials announced Thursday. World News | Reuters | Tuesday August 9, 2016 A water park in Kansas was closed on Monday as police investigated the death of a state lawmaker's 10-year-old son on the world's tallest water. The park was closed down after the incident Sunday and remained closed Monday. It turned out to be 10-year-old Caleb Schwab, who was killed on the ride. She had told him her safety belt's Velcro came undone toward the end of her ride. 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 . It turns out at first, it definitely wasn't. 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! And although the Schlitterbahn Water Park is for families, this ride in particular is meant to attract so-called "thrill-seekers. Despite the tragedy, visitor numbers were around average three days after, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. 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. 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. We agree with the courts decision that the grand jury was not given a fair picture of the evidence relating to this tragic accident, Justin Johnston, a lawyer for Mr. Schooley, said. They said all rides are inspected daily before opening. Caleb Schwab, 10, died in front of his family while riding a 168ft-high water slide in Kansas at Schlitterbahn Water Park. 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. 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. 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. 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. Castaneda said he had ridden the slide earlier in the day with his cousin's 14-year-old daughter. Past close calls reported after boy dies on waterslide. As chance would have it, Schwabs father was a Kansas state representative. According to. "We held each other and had a little emotional meltdown once we moved away from the immediate area," she says. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. UPDATE: According to The Washington Post, Schlitterbahn Waterpark and former director of operations, Tyler Austin Miles, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and several counts of aggravated battery, aggravated endangering a child, and interference with law enforcement in connection to the death of Caleb Schwab involving the water coaster, Verrckt. Anyone can read what you share. Along the way, riders clutch ropes along the inside of the raft. 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) 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Caleb was found dead in a pool at the bottom of the slide. Still, if other recent tragedies are any indication, some people will undoubtedly judge his parents for allowing Caleb to ride this attraction. "[Nathan] was screaming, 'He flew from Verrckt, he flew Verrckt,'" Caleb's mother said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Henry and Schooley were ultimately indicted on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated endangerment of a child, interference with law enforcement, and involuntary manslaughter. Many questions are, for now, left unanswered. Police confirmed to PEOPLE that he had been decapitated. ", But how can a ride this extreme be safe for anyone? They saw a trail of blood follow Caleb Schwabs raft after he was hurled from it into safety netting, suffering catastrophic injuries. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. By Melissa Chan. Tragic child Caleb Schwab, 10, was the son of state Rep. Scott Schwab. The park reopened on Wednesday except for a large section that includes the waterslide, although its looming profile greeted visitors when they drove through the entrance. 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 . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who. A person familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday the boy was decapitated. Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab, was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. Riders climbed 264 steps to the top before sitting in a raft that plummeted and then soared over a crest on its way to a runoff pool at the bottom. A young childs life was lost and his troubling death was mourned by family, friends and the entire Kansas community and beyond.. The dismissed charges were based upon improper "illegal" evidence presented to a grand jury, ruled Judge Robert Burns of Wyandotte County, according to KMBC. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Castaneda said he had ridden the slide earlier in the day with his cousin's 14-year-old daughter. 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. 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. 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. 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. The video was intended to show that the defendants had exhibited a reckless attitude toward the construction of the slide, Judge Burns wrote. In a statement, the Kansas attorney general, Derek Schmidt, did not rule out seeking criminal charges again. Market data provided by Factset. The world's tallest water slide turned deadly on Sunday after a Kansas state lawmaker's son was killed on the attraction. Castaneda said two other woman were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. Kansas City, Kansas, police say a 10-year-old boy who was killed while riding the world's tallest water slide died of a neck injury. Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website. Following the unspeakable accident, the park immediately shut down. Winter Prosapio, a spokeswoman for Schlitterbahn, said the company welcomed the decision. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half the ride and reconfigure some angles. Caleb Schwab died while riding a water slide at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, police said. 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 . 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. He would have fallen down without the raft.". Had either of the parents ridden the slide before? . In February, a judge dismissed the charges against Henry and Schooley. The slide is 168 feet and has 264 stairs leading to the top -- taller than the Statue of Liberty. Legal Statement. The two women riding in the raft with Caleb suffered minor facial injuries. 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. 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. The slide is 168 feet tall and has 264. He hit a metal pole and was decapitated. An investigation has been launched into how the incident occurred on the "Verruckt" raft ride at the Kansas City attraction. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The park was closed down after the incident Sunday and remained closed Monday. Rafts barreling down the slide allegedly reached speeds of up to 70 mph. They're not technically really to hold you in.. WARNING: The details in this story are graphic and may not be suitable for all readers. 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. "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. Numerous elected officials and their families were in the park when the tragedy happened. Criminal charges brought against him and others in connection with a fatal accident on the slide were dismissed on Friday. 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. Police said the death appeared to be an accident . However, the particular ride that killed a 10-year old boy Sunday remains closed. 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. 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. 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. 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. * Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. 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 . We noticed my friends harness was completely off and we overheard him yelling, you know, my harness is off and it had been off from the beginning of the ride, she said Wednesday morning. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Had he done it before, and alone? They realized that he was dead, so I don't think they tried to revive him.. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 10 year old boy Caleb Schwab got decapitated by one of the biggest water slides called "Verrckt" in 2016. Caleb Schwab died Sunday on a slide at the . Henry faced a charge of second-degree murder. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. . Follow her on Twitter (@Spitupnsuburbs), where she chronicles her love of exercising and drinking coffee, but never simultaneously. Visitors flocked to Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas, to experience its thrill. Video by Nathan Truesdell At 169 feet tall, Verrckt was the tallest waterslide in the world. Feb. 24, 2019. 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. Some new details in the Caleb Schwab death are emerging with a witness giving her account of how the 10-year-old boy was killed on a water slide at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas on Sunday. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Marshals said. The slide's name means "insane" in German. All Rights Reserved. The boy's father, state Rep. Scott Schwab, thanked the community for the outpouring of support his family has received. A lawyer who represented the Schwab family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. The two women riding in the raft with Caleb suffered minor facial injuries. All Rights Reserved. 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. Multiple injuries were reported before his incident. Jeffrey W. Henry at the Verrckt waterslide that he helped design for a Kansas water park. A lot of our math was based on roller coasters at first, and that didn't translate to a water slide like this. 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