Two people who have ridden a waterslide on which a young boy died of a neck injury have said shoulder straps snapped or popped off during previous rides.
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The death of a 10-year-old boy on a 17-story water slide in Kansas will leave some parents wondering how safe water parks really are for their kids.
Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said during the news conference that the park’s rides are inspected daily and inspected by an “outside party” before the start of each season.
Emergency responders found him dead in a pool at the end of the ride, according to the police statement.
Esteban Castaneda, who was at the Kansas City attraction on Sunday, said he heard loud booms coming from the side of the ride before noticing a body washing down after a raft. Schwab was the son of Rep. Scott Schwab in the Kansas House of Representatives. His companions suffered non-life-threatening facial injuries.
The state’s Labor Department said it has requested documentation from Schlitterbahn “to ensure all safety requirements have been followed”. She had told him the Velcro on her safety belt had come undone towards the end of the ride.
While it appears the boy’s death was an accident, police said they must examine it as a crime until the evidence indicates otherwise.
The ride requirement says the raft should have a combined weight between 400 and 550 pounds, and riders must be at least 54 inches tall.
The 168-foot-tall waterslide, which is certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest, is named “Verruckt” – the German word for “insane”.
He was riding with two women on a raft, police said. The boy died while riding the Verruckt.
The Police Department’s Major Case Unit is seeking anyone who has additional information on the incident. Castaneda said he had ridden the slide earlier in the day with his cousin’s 14-year-old daughter. The park postponed the 2014 opening of the slide three times to ensure safety.
The apparent shift away from the age restriction could be one of the questions in determining liability, according to CBS News legal analyst Rikki Klieman, who said the park owner and ride designer face potential legal troubles over Schwab’s death.
Verrückt is now closed as the incident is still under investigation. Oberhauser said he reported the matter to park workers.
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Schlitterbahn also announced Tuesday that “a limited portion” of the park will reopen at noon Wednesday, and that park officials won’t be offering media interviews.
