Water Park Execs Arrested and Charged In Death of 10-year-old On World’s Tallest Waterslide

A water park co-owner has been arrested in connection to the death of a 10-year-old at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The incident occurred back in 2016 after one of the park’s waterslides malfunctioned and sent 10-year-old Caleb Schwab’s raft airborne. Schwab was decapitated in the incident, as two other women were injured.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Since then, the park’s Director of Operations, as well as the waterpark itself, were hit with indictments on 20 felony charges, including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated endangering of a child, aggravated battery and interference with law enforcement. In addition to the indictments, the park’s co-owner, Jeffrey Henry, was arrested in Cameron County, Texas, also facing charges of aggravated battery and endangerment of a child.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

According to CNN, Henry is listed as the “principal designer and visionary” of the deadly ride, and while he possessed no “technical or engineering credentials” he reportedly controlled “many key decisions” in the design of the water park’s rides. In fact, officials even referenced a video of Henry explaining the danger of the ride, as he “could die going down this ride.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

However, the park is standing by its developers, as it released a statement in the wake of Henry’s arrest and charges, saying, “We as a company and as a family will fight these allegations and have confidence that once the facts are presented it will be clear that what happened on the ride was an unforeseeable accident.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Problem is, Schwab’s death was not an isolated incident. While, the fatal tragedy may have been a first, the indictment says that park employees “came forward and revealed that Schlitterbahn officials had covered up similar incidents in the past” involving the world’s tallest waterslide.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

However, in the wake of the incident, the park did settle nearly $20 million with Schwab’s family. Additionally, officials plan to tear down the slide as soon as the investigation is over.