10-year-old Kansas boy suffered fatal neck injury in water slide accident
- 8 years ago
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS — More details have emerged about how a 10-year-old boy was killed Sunday while riding what is billed as the world’s tallest water slide.
Caleb Thomas Schwab died in a freak accident on the Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City while riding the 168-feet tall water slide.
Police confirmed on Monday in a statement that Caleb died from a fatal “neck injury,” the Associated Press reported.
Caleb was reportedly riding in the slide with two women. He was sitting in the first position with the two women in the second and third positions.
It appears that Caleb must have somehow gotten loose from his harness and was ejected from his seat.
Kelsey Friedrichsen and her boyfriend Josh Foster were both at the park on Sunday when they saw a large group of people gathered at the bottom of the slide, according to People.
Friedrichsen speculated that Caleb must have bounced around between the netting and the slide and just slid down.
Esteban Castaneda, who had ridden on the Verruckt earlier that day, told New York’s ABC 7 news that he noticed the boy appeared to have been decapitated, although no other reports have confirmed this.
According to Fox 4 KC, one of the women suffered a broken jaw, and the other a broken bone in her face. She also required stitches in one of her eyes.
The water park is tentatively scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, although the Verruckt will remain closed.
Caleb Thomas Schwab died in a freak accident on the Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City while riding the 168-feet tall water slide.
Police confirmed on Monday in a statement that Caleb died from a fatal “neck injury,” the Associated Press reported.
Caleb was reportedly riding in the slide with two women. He was sitting in the first position with the two women in the second and third positions.
It appears that Caleb must have somehow gotten loose from his harness and was ejected from his seat.
Kelsey Friedrichsen and her boyfriend Josh Foster were both at the park on Sunday when they saw a large group of people gathered at the bottom of the slide, according to People.
Friedrichsen speculated that Caleb must have bounced around between the netting and the slide and just slid down.
Esteban Castaneda, who had ridden on the Verruckt earlier that day, told New York’s ABC 7 news that he noticed the boy appeared to have been decapitated, although no other reports have confirmed this.
According to Fox 4 KC, one of the women suffered a broken jaw, and the other a broken bone in her face. She also required stitches in one of her eyes.
The water park is tentatively scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, although the Verruckt will remain closed.