A day of fun turned into a nightmare for a Kansas City family when a 10-year-old boy was decapitated while riding the ‘world’s tallest waterslide’.
The tragic event took place in 2016 when Caleb Schwab, visiting the Schlitterbahn Waterpark with his father, state legislator Scott Schwab, his mother, Michele Schwab, and his three brothers, decided to go on the 170-foot-tall Verruckt water slide. The name Verruckt translates to ‘crazy’ in English.
The slide, which opened in 2014, was promoted as the ‘world’s tallest’ and required riders to ascend 264 steps to reach the top. Its height surpassed that of Niagara Falls, and once at the summit, riders would sit in a raft that plummeted 17 stories downwards before soaring over a 55-foot-tall crest, sometimes lifting off the base in the process.
To ensure safety, the slide’s chute was covered with netting supported by metal poles.
Caleb was one of three riders who climbed into a raft and began the descent. Initially, the ride proceeded as expected.
However, due to the speed and motion, Caleb was thrown towards the netting, where he hit a metal pole and was tragically decapitated.
One of Caleb’s brothers was waiting for him at the bottom, but when his lifeless body slid into the pool, the scene erupted in screams.
A witness to the horrific event told Texas Monthly: “It was as horrible a moment as you could imagine. A nightmare beyond comprehension. I can’t begin to describe it.”
After Caleb’s death, a grand jury filed charges of second-degree murder against Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeff Henry and senior designer John Schooley, but these charges were later dismissed.
In 2017, Caleb’s family reached a settlement for nearly $20 million with Schlitterbahn and other companies involved.
Following the incident, Verruckt was closed, and the Kansas City park shut down in September 2018.
Schlitterbahn issued a statement at the time of Caleb’s death, stating it had ‘never experienced this kind of devastating event’ in its 50 years of operation.
“The safety of our staff and our guests is our top priority,” the park said, according to ABC News.
“We are parents and grandparents ourselves, and many of us had ridden Verruckt with our own children and grandchildren over the years it operated.
“At Schlitterbahn, we take safety very seriously. We support effective guidelines that increase guest and staff safety.”