A 10-year-old boy, Caleb Schwab, died of neck injuries on the ride on Sunday, according to a statement from the police on Monday.
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Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio says the boy died on one of the park’s main attractions, Verruckt, a 168-foot-tall water slide that has 264 stairs leading to the top. Mr Castaneda said two other women were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. Riders sit in multi-person rafts, which navigate an initial 17-story drop, followed by a second 50-foot drop.
Kansas’ Amusement Ride Act says fixed-site rides must be checked at least once a year by certified inspectors, and the state can audit those records. He was found dead in a pool at the bottom of the slide and police confirmed with People magazine that the boy was decapitated. “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.
Schlitterbahn water park issued a statement on Monday that said the park is tentatively scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, but Verrückt will remain closed. The young son of a Kansas state lawmaker died on a water slide that is billed as the world’s largest, according to officials and the boy’s family.
Castaneda added that he had ridden Verruckt earlier in the day with his cousin’s 14-year-old daughter.
Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of a Kansas state politician Scott Schwab, was killed while on the ride at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City.
“A lady in front of me said that multiple times she rode the ride today, the Verruckt, and that the front harness did not work any of the times that she rode it”, park guest Jessica Lundquist told KSHB.
The family’s pastor said the family attended church Sunday morning and heard it was “Elected Officials Day” at Schlitterbahn.
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 boy was the son of Republican Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab.
All occurrences of serious injury resulting from the operation of an amusement ride require that the ride be immediately discontinued by the park pending further inspection.
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“They certainly have the knowledge and expertise and they have to be involved in this investigation definitely, since it’s in their best interest as well”, said Pettey, a Democrat.
