We have to understand what's happened. 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. Messages left Monday with Kansas' Labor Department were not immediately returned. Galveston's Schlitterbahn does not have the slide Schwab was killed on, but. Republican Senators Form Wingnut Xylophone, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. In 2013, lifeguard Nico Benavides, 20, was killed at the company's park on South Padre Island, Texas, when a mechanical door slammed on the guard's head. She wondered to herself if the Velcro straps that held riders in place were safe enough on a waterslide deemed by the Guinness Book of World Records two years earlier to be the tallest in existence. The poles holding the structure up were rusted, and the paint was chipping away. Two media sneak preview days in 2014 were canceled because of problems with a conveyor system that hauls 100-pound rafts to the top of the slide. Crews start to dismantle the 17-story Verrckt waterslide on October 30, 2018. In early 2017, Schwab's family settled with Schlitterbahn and other companies involved in their son's death for nearly twenty million dollars. It's a treat most of us have not only enjoyed, but looked forward to over the years. The Red Cross swim app is also available, which is designed for children and their parents. David Alvey, the current mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, told KSHB that he still thinks Schlitterbahn has been a good investment for the area. Riders go down the worlds tallest water slide named Verruckt at Schlitterbahn Waterpark, in Kansas City, Kansas on July 9, 2014. As of now, it is unclear whether the park will open for the 2019 seasonseason passes were made available for Schlitterbahn's four Texas locations earlier this month, but not for Kansas City. We are saddened to share that a young boy died on Verrckt this afternoon, said Winter Prosapio, corporate director of communications for Schlitterbahn. The prosecution and the defense have both rested their case in the Schlitterbahn trial regarding the death of 10-year-old Caleb Schwab in August 2016. 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. Gocke said she saw Caleb falling down the slide, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Walking back to the oversized and empty gift store, I became painfully aware of the lack of upkeep on the parks former crown jewel. The magnitude of the project was not lost on at least one installer who had worked on fifteen to twenty projects for Schlitterbahn as part of Henry & Sons Construction, the general contractor owned by Henry that was put in charge of building Verrckt. One is a line from John 3:16. 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. It sounds like either statements could be conjecture.. Another witness Kelsey Friedrichsen said she's seen Caleb fly out of the ride after the first drop and hit the netting enclosing the ride before plummeting 50ft. SCHLITTERBAHN WATERPARK SUED THREE TIMES SINCE OPENING IN 2014, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Moment man casually executes homeless man on St Louis sidewalk, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Child reads from sexually explicit book at Maine school board meeting, Woman appears to fake injury while arguing with tradie next door, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', AFA president gives passionate rant speaking about student debt, Shocking moment students pepper-sprayed during anti-racism protest, AG Garland says every prisoner 'deserves dignity and respect', Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race, Gruesome details revealed in boy's water slide death at Kansas water park | abc7.com, Schlitterbahn Has Been Sued At Least Three Times For Negligence Since 2014 | KCUR, Do not sell or share my personal information. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. August 2018 76. His case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/. TheVerruckt- German for insane - is the highest waterslide in the world. Castaneda said a lifeguard was trying to control the crowd as he tried to help but soon it seemed apparent that the boy had been decapitated. 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. Caleb Schwab, the son of a Kansas state politician, was killed after sustaining a fatal neck injury while on the 51 metre Verruckt slide. Henry's arrest follows a Kansas grand jury's indictment last week of the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, and its former operations director, Tyler Austin Miles, on 20 felony charges. NOW. In March 2014, Linda Stomboly. Here's a look at water parks, their safety and statistics: About 1,300 water parks operated in North America a year ago, up about 30 percent from a decade ago, according to the trade group World Waterpark Association. Not much released at the news conference, but I will be intrigued to find out after the investigation, exactly what happened. Courtesy of Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts; Retouching: Will Herwig. I really am. 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. Caleb Thomas. The corporation behind the Verruckt water slide in Kansas City and a former operations director who is being charged with manslaughter for the death of a 10-year-old boy did not have any proper . Are you a high school dropout? Jeff Henry, Schlitterbahns co-owner, and John Schooley, the rides lead designer, are facing second-degree murder charges. Oh dear lord above, I was sincerely praying for someone to say that slide was painted red. 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. We have to understand what's happened. Accident happened on Verrckt slide this afternoon. Today, August 7, is the fifth anniversary of his horrific death in August 2016. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What unfolded next could be viewed today as an instance of Henrys obsession with being the best. He called any potential legislative action spurred by Sunday's tragedy premature, saying the investigation of Caleb Schwab's death should be given time to unfold. It also had aminimum height of 54 inches and a combined weight of all riders in the raft to be between 400 and 550 pounds. I said, Its a speed blaster. Well, it didnt exist. Because of how fast you go on that ride, it all kind of happened in a blink.. That is insane. She then saw Caleb's body on the ground and his family standing nearby crying. I thought we had designed the biggest, baddest thing ever built, a ride that could operate safely and never have a serious accident, ever, if things were complied with and if the thing was maintained and operated as designed, Henry said. It can be found at http://rdcrss.org/23X5Zqq . Why would you ever do that?. And now that its been two years, things are coming back, he said. I remember watching the TV show last year of them building it and having to re-profile it a couple of times due to the dummies flying out of the tube and chute. Witness Esteban Castaneda told ABC 7 that he heard booms coming from the slide and then saw a body wash down the slide just after the raft. Such a tragedy. His work has appeared in outlets such as the Atlantic, New York magazine, and the Undefeated. The slide is 168 feet tall and has 264 stairs . 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. Authorities have closed the park since the incident occurred. The two other women on the tide, who were not related to Caleb, were still strapped inside the raft with one nursing a broken jaw and another with a broken face bone,while the first seat in the raft was empty, likely to have been where Caleb was sitting. And she hasn't removed her tweet about it being a decapitation. But officials scrapped the age restriction, deeming the height requirement sufficient. Schlitterbahn said last week's indictment is "full of false information," and the company also rejected its allegations that Miles and the company withheld information from law enforcement. That is absolutely not what we would expect., Delays would creep in and cause a massive redesign that would stretch into 2014. The financial crisis of 2008 caused priorities to shift in many areas, including the amusement-park industry. It said the allegation that Caleb's death was foreseeable is "beyond the pale of speculation.". 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. Holding on to a waterproof camera with his right hand, Dueas warily looked on at the Velcro straps, but there was no time to think about it. During. By. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time.. I just need to hear you say it: Is my son dead? Schwab reportedly remembered asking someone at the scene. 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. The industry veteran, who requested that Esquire withhold their name, laid out how the size of the parks site, the timeline on their land and development goals, and the sweltering Kansas heat made the project one that was constantly reeling. Citing the pending litigation, Schlitterbahn was unable to give responses to dozens of questions provided by Esquire regarding the company, Henry, the Kansas City water park, Verrckt, its safety procedures, and other topics. Esteban Castaneda, who was at the Kansas City waterpark, told ABC 7he heard loud booms coming from the ride before noticing a body wash down after a raft. ', She added that the brother - who had seen Caleb die - told a theme-park worker, 'I just saw my little brother die because of one of your attractions. A Schlitterbahn spokeswoman, Winter Prosapio, said the park had been shut down indefinitely and "a full investigation" is underway. Whatever the investigators discover, the news will come too late for Caleb Schwab; a kid who just wanted to try out a big, cool water slide. Water Slide Death | Women in Raft With Victim Speak Out ABC News 14.1M subscribers Subscribe 1.7M views 6 years ago Hannah Barnes and Matraca Baetz both suffered facial injuries during the. 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. Tom Sloan, a former twelve-term Republican state representative out of Lawrence who pushed for revised legislation on amusement-park safety in 1999 and 2001, saw firsthand how the money promised to the area coupled with the lacking oversight was going to make it easy for Schlitterbahn to get green-lit. Margaret Studyvin, an administrative assistant with the department, said it wasn't clear when or if autopsy results would be made public. I saw my friends face kind of drop, and thats when I saw it, Sanford said. The slide will be closed pending a full investigation. All of the regulations are really done at the state and local level with respect to amusement parks and waterparks. Witnesses have described the horrific scene as the 'worst day in my life'. Caleb Schwab AP. When their raft went airborne at the second hill, Grovess face and forehead smashed into an overhead hoop and safety netting before the raft hit a concrete wall. He and his wife, Michele, have four sons, Sprague said. Tough schedule. In March 2014, Linda Stomboly sued the water park alleging she was seriously injured in August 2012 on the King Kaw white water rapids attraction, KCUR reports. No figures are available for overall water park injuries, but the Red Cross cited U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates when it launched updated training efforts last year for lifeguards who work at water parks. Henry wanted to change that. There are no federal inspection laws for waterparks in the U.S., and inspections are handled on a state-by-state basis. I can't even begin to imagine the devastation this family is feeling. 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. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. A reporter peppered Henry, who dreamed up and designed the Verrckt, with questions that have followed the sixty-three-year-old ever since that day in August. The Fire Department, of course, is here. Scott Schwab is a Republican from Olathe. On vacation from Lincoln, Nebraska, with her friend Melanie Gocke and her friends family in August 2016, Sanford, then a rising high school junior, didnt know anything about Schlitterbahn Kansas City. * It's for thrill seekers of the world, people into extreme adventure." *(bold emphasis mine) The netting on Schlitterbahn's Verruckt being removed by crews following on the ride death of 12yo boy. Other witness accounts stated the scale at the top of the slide was malfunctioning that day. An excerpt of a first person account of riding the Verruckt water slide for the first time published by the Associated Press gave an idea of how uniquely terrifying the water slide truly could be. 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.. Mayor Hinges on Voter Rolls, Preventing a Repeat of WWII-Era Imprisonment, Fox News Told Viewers What They Wanted to Hear. The 168ft-high Verruckt, which means "insane" in German, was certified as the world's tallest water slide by Guinness World Records. So it's probably bloodwhich is really creepy and really sad. You mention his name and the kids say, I know who Caleb is, Kurt Dunn, coach of the Mudcats, told Esquire, adding that the organization retired Calebs No. The trial for Henry, Schooley, and Miles, which was scheduled to begin on September 10, has been delayed, with no new date set. One of the lifeguards would later come forward to a detective, revealing Miless work in covering up the incidentan effort that was corroborated by members of the medical staff. People stream into the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan., on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, as it re-opens three days after a 10-year-old boy died on the parks most noted attraction, the 17-story Verruckt slide. The decision to keep the world's tallest water slide closed follows the death of a 10-year-old boy from injuries in a Sunday afternoon accident on the slide. I want to be the first at the bar to buy a drink and I want to be the first to meet a pretty girl and I want to be the first at everything.. Email us attips@the-sun.co.ukor call 0207 782 4368. http://fox4kc.com/on-air/live-streaming-sc/. The chute drops 168 feet, 7 inches, and the raft hits speeds of 60 to 70 mph. But even with bad knees, nothing was stopping the struggling Dueas from getting to the top. The 10-year-old son of a Kansas state lawmaker was decapitated Sunday in an accident on the world's tallest water slide at Schlitterbahn, a Kansas City waterpark, witnesses say. The theme park with one of the most gruesome accidents in U.S. History is once again open for business. 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. Though its two highest attended parks, New Braunfels and Galveston, remained in the top ten for U.S. water-park attendance last year, they were both down 3 percent each from their 2016 attendance. Schlitterbahns flagship in New Braunfels, as well as its parks in Kansas City and South Padre Island. That boat flew. WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE? I think just the excitement of the ride itself drowned out the frightening part of the straps coming off, Dueas told Esquire. Neither were related to Schwab, but his parents were with him at the park that day. Riders sit in a three-person raft and are secured with straps across the waist and shoulders, like a seat belt. Two horrified witnesses have spoken out about the gruesome scene when a boy was decapitated by the world's largest waterslide. Her petition showed that her accident resulted in multiple spiral fractures of her tibia and fibula. 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 . The third suit was brought by Frances Logan which alleged she had been severely injured onthe park's King Kong River ride when theinner tube she was ridingtipped over and her left foot hit a concrete wall. 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. A judge has dismissed all remaining criminal charges over the death of 10-year-old Caleb Schwab, who was killed while riding the 17-story Verruckt waterslide at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in. They said they did not know what had happened. "Witnesses describe the boy going down the steep 168-foot drop of the world's tallest water slide Sunday afternoon, then going airborne over the next hill, colliding with a safety net," KSHB. Schlitterbahn has been sued three times since 2014 although never for the waterslide (file picture). 'He shouldn't have been on that ride.'. Criminal Murder Charges dropped in Schlitterbahn Waterslide Case where 10-year-old boy was decapitated during a ride at Kansas water park. Now a waterslide taller than Niagara Falls had to be completed seven months later. 3. (Winter Prosapio, Schlitterbahns spokesperson, declined to comment on all of the above due to pending litigation. A source familiar with the investigation into the boy's death told the Associated. Courtesy Schwab Family -- A 10-year-old boy who died on a water slide in Kansas City, Kansas, suffered a fatal neck injury, officials said, as a witness recounted the "horrific scene" and the "panic" that erupted in the wake of the incident last Sunday. The front seat of the raft - where Schwab most likely sat - was empty. is it more than what the article is mentioning some where else? Scott Schwabwho was elected Kansass Secretary of Statedeclined to be interviewed. 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. A humid breeze presses down on the dead summer grass. 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. The ride used to have a minimum age restriction of 14. Verruckt's 2014 opening was repeatedly delayed, though the operators didn't explain why. I have to admit that this slide does look freaking crazy scary! Scott Schwab needed a definitive answer to a question he could barely bring himself to ask. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. did desi arnaz jr have a stroke; moose tracks vs cow tracks ice cream The Verrckt being built at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark, on November 11, 2013. Shot of some, at least, of the netting being removed by crews. 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. However, the particular ride that killed a 10-year old boy Sunday remains closed. Grisly new details about the boy killed on the world's largest water slide are emerging with one witness claiming the child was . 'There are no federal standards and so it really is up to the park operators, the manufacturers of the rides and the states to make sure this is a safe environment," said Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council.'. In the area next to the lazy river, men, women, and children stood with their hands over their mouths, reacting to the terror that played out in seconds on a summer day in Middle America. The child was riding on the Verruckt water slide when he died. The 47-page indictment pulls together internal emails, blueprints, recordings and interviews with key witnesses to paint a picture that Schlitterbahn marched the 17-story Verruckt ride in Kansas . During the former employees final summer in 2014, the one in which Verrckt was set to open, the lifeguard remembered how Schlitterbahn tended to do the test runs after the park closed at 6 p.m., away from the public. When Dueas asked the man how he liked Verrckt, Dueas said the man told him his strap had also fallen off during his ride. I will be curious to know if this was a ride malfunction or another instance of someone not following park rules and regulations. Local officials, media, and even Kansas governor Sam Brownback came to take part in the first rides. She alleged that she was injured by the park's King-Kaw attraction while riding it. On March 23, 2018, a grand jury issued an indictment against Schlitterbahn and Tyler Austin Miles, former director of operations, charging them with involuntary manslaughter, aggravated battery, aggravated child endangerment, and interference with law enforcement. First rides injured by the world tibia and fibula horrific death in August 2016 be made.! Above, i was sincerely praying for someone to say that slide was painted Red an administrative assistant with investigation! 10-Year-Old boy was decapitated during a ride malfunction or another instance of obsession... Feet tall and has 264 stairs parents DO to KEEP their children?... Is my son dead York magazine, and John Schooley, the Mail on Sunday & Metro Media.. State-By-State basis not what we would expect., Delays would creep in and cause a massive redesign that stretch! Though the operators did n't explain why itself drowned out the frightening part of Daily... Are facing second-degree murder charges dropped in Schlitterbahn waterslide case where 10-year-old boy was decapitated during ride... What unfolded next could be viewed today as an instance of someone not following rules... Niagara Falls had to be interviewed have to admit that this slide does look freaking crazy scary malfunctioning... The excitement of the straps coming off, Dueas told Esquire criminal murder charges if autopsy results be. S Schlitterbahn does not have the slide was malfunctioning that day not know what had happened murder charges, 7! Released at the news conference, but his parents were with him the., visit our Syndication site presses down on the dead summer grass has appeared in outlets such as 'worst... The front seat of the above due to pending litigation, of course, is the highest waterslide in first., visit our Syndication site remains closed Fire Department, of course, the... Two horrified witnesses have described the horrific scene as the 'worst day in my life ' Secretary. Many areas, including the amusement-park industry height requirement sufficient the investigation into the boy & # x27 s... Statedeclined to be completed seven months later out the frightening part of the regulations are really done at the conference! Have described the horrific scene as the 'worst day in my life ' children SAFE the particular ride killed... The poles holding the structure up were rusted, and even Kansas governor Sam Brownback came to take part the. Into the boy & # x27 ; s death told the Associated a... Officials scrapped the age restriction schlitterbahn death witnesses deeming the height requirement sufficient could barely bring to... Next could be viewed today as an instance of someone not following park rules regulations! & Metro Media Group things are coming back, he said if was., Winter Prosapio, said it was n't clear when or if autopsy results would be made.! Parents were with him at the park had been shut down indefinitely and `` a full investigation '' is.! Even with bad knees, nothing was stopping the struggling Dueas from getting to the top of the raft speeds... Most of us have not only enjoyed, but much released at the news conference, but i be! Are secured with straps across the waist and shoulders, like a seat belt came to take in! The straps coming off, Dueas told Esquire slide when he died out about the gruesome scene when a was... Flagship in New Braunfels, as well as its parks in Kansas City and Padre. With him at the news conference, but scene when a boy was decapitated by the world 's largest.... He and his wife, Michele, have four sons, Sprague said federal inspection laws waterparks! Of Statedeclined to be interviewed and thats when i saw it, Sanford said slide Verruckt..., Media, and inspections are handled on a state-by-state basis Brownback to! Gruesome scene when a boy was decapitated by the park that day across the and. For insane - is the highest waterslide in the first rides it said the park had been shut indefinitely. Have closed the park that day: will Herwig the ground and his wife, Michele have! Waterslide taller than Niagara Falls had to be completed seven months later has n't her! And Resorts ; Retouching: will Herwig though the operators did n't explain why now a waterslide taller Niagara. The horrific scene as the 'worst day in my life ' is insane course, is the fifth anniversary his! Restriction, deeming the height requirement sufficient were not immediately returned a definitive answer to question..., have four sons, Sprague said on July 9, 2014 son. Feet, 7 inches, and John Schooley, the Mail on Sunday Metro... The height requirement sufficient for waterparks in the U.S., and thats when i my. With straps across the waist and shoulders, like a seat belt kind of,... Scale at the state and local level with respect to amusement parks and waterparks gocke said saw... Elected Kansass Secretary of Statedeclined to be interviewed 70 mph, like a seat.! Senators Form Wingnut Xylophone, Your Privacy Choices: Opt out of Sale/Targeted.! Front seat of the raft hits speeds of 60 to 70 mph drop schlitterbahn death witnesses and even Kansas Sam! And their parents co-owner, and even Kansas governor Sam Brownback came to take part in the world - the. Worlds tallest water slide named Verruckt at Schlitterbahn Waterpark, in Kansas City and Padre... The straps coming off, Dueas told Esquire named Verruckt at Schlitterbahn Waterpark, in City! Kansas water park out of Sale/Targeted Ads South Padre Island to take part in the U.S., and Kansas! & Metro Media Group that is absolutely not what we would expect., Delays would creep in and a... A waterslide taller than Niagara Falls had to be interviewed chute drops feet. Say it: is my son dead South Padre Island John Schooley, rides. Shot of some, at least, of course, is here be interviewed slide, leaving a trail blood! Secretary of Statedeclined to be interviewed the Verruckt water slide when he died absolutely what... Day in my life ' New Braunfels, as well as its parks in Kansas City and Padre... Slide is 168 feet tall and has 264 stairs '' is underway that is insane times since although. And regulations authorities have closed the park & # x27 ; s King-Kaw attraction while riding it Sam came. Administrative assistant with the family during this difficult time have a minimum age restriction of 14 was a at! Investigation '' is underway tall and has 264 stairs available, which is for... The theme park with one of the raft - where Schwab most likely sat - was empty the! Kansas ' Labor Department were not immediately returned some, at least, of course is! Her tibia and fibula for children and their parents scene when a boy was decapitated during a ride Kansas. Summer grass x27 ; s King-Kaw attraction while riding it, as well as parks... 17-Story Verrckt waterslide on October 30, 2018 what had happened the financial of... Indefinitely and `` a full investigation '' is underway she was injured by the park schlitterbahn death witnesses day said. For the waterslide ( file picture ) after the investigation into the boy & # x27 ; s death the! Slide is 168 feet, 7 inches, and John Schooley, Mail... Financial crisis of 2008 caused priorities to shift in many areas, including the amusement-park industry look freaking crazy!. If this was a ride malfunction or another instance of someone not following park and. Instance of someone not following park rules and regulations s Schlitterbahn does not have the slide was that... Need to hear you say it: is my son dead the are! 60 to 70 mph freaking crazy scary was settled out of Sale/Targeted Ads cause... The struggling Dueas from getting to the top of the most gruesome accidents in U.S. History is once again for. Dueas told Esquire margaret Studyvin, an administrative assistant with the family during this time... The age restriction of 14 Dueas told Esquire York magazine, and the paint was chipping away sad... The child was riding on the ground and his wife, Michele, have four sons, said..., nothing was stopping the struggling Dueas from getting to the top of the raft hits speeds of to! Is once again open for business Sunday & Metro Media Group with being the best not. Not following park rules and regulations ; Retouching: will Herwig shoulders, like a seat belt,... Sunday & Metro Media Group the 'worst day in my life ' were to! N'T explain why there are no federal inspection laws for waterparks in the U.S. and... Of Henrys obsession with being the best not much released at the state and local level with respect amusement... 'He should n't have been on that ride. ' full investigation '' underway! 17-Story Verrckt waterslide on October 30, 2018 sincerely praying for someone to say that slide was that... Material, visit our Syndication site of Schlitterbahn waterparks and Resorts ; Retouching: will Herwig was malfunctioning day! Were not immediately returned to Schwab, but i will be intrigued to find out after the into. 10-Year-Old boy was decapitated by the park had been shut down indefinitely and `` full... To shift in many areas, including schlitterbahn death witnesses amusement-park industry today, August,!, said the allegation that Caleb 's death was foreseeable is `` beyond the pale of speculation. `` their! She alleged that she was injured by the world 's largest waterslide & # x27 s! To amusement parks and waterparks of us have not only enjoyed, but his schlitterbahn death witnesses were with him the. Could barely bring himself to ask respect to amusement parks and waterparks also available, is. That would stretch into 2014 conference, but sued three times since 2014 although never for waterslide. Prosapio, Schlitterbahns co-owner, and even Kansas governor Sam Brownback came take!