Fatal accident on the world's tallest water slide

[Tokyo Rose 1,475]

A 10-year-old boy who died on a water slide in Kansas City 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.

Esteban Castaneda told ABC News he first heard a "boom" on Schlitterbahn Water Park's Verrückt water slide, which is promoted as the world's tallest.

He then saw a raft come through, and "immediately after the raft ... you see a body," he said.

He said there were two women sitting in the back of the raft with blood on them.

Castaneda, who says he hasn't been interviewed by police, said he then started running towards the slide after which he said he heard a lifeguard yelling and a boy screaming hysterically.

Castaneda saw the young victim, Caleb Schwab, laying in the water, but he said a lifeguard told him, "There's nothing you can do."

Police said Caleb suffered a fatal neck injury. The two other women in his raft, who were not related to Caleb, suffered minor injuries, police said. 

Full article

[ReidOne 12,427]

It's so sad. 

It's widely speculated that he was decapitated. No one knows for sure what happened. One Twitter user claimed that an officer on scene told them that witnesses reported the boy unbuckled his seat belt and became airborne. But that's just a rumor at this point. 

[SMILE2NE1 3,566]

[ReidOne 12,427]

1 minute ago, ReidOne said:

It's so sad. 

It's widely speculated that he was decapitated. No one knows for sure what happened. One Twitter user claimed that an officer on scene told them that witnesses reported the boy unbuckled his seat belt and became airborne. But that's just a rumor at this point. 

However, contrary to this, others are claiming that the harness of the seat he was in had been malfunctioning earlier in the day. 

Some park guests say the slide's harness wasn't working properly earlier in the day.

"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.

Verrückt riders are required to be at least 54 inches tall, according Schlitterbahn's website. It was not immediately known whether Caleb met the height requirement.

Leslie Castaneda was at the park Sunday and told CNN affiliate KMBC that the victim's brother saw what happened.

"The little boy said to a worker, 'I just saw my little brother die because of one of your attractions,'" Castaneda told KMBC. "(Caleb) looked skinny. He shouldn't have been on that ride."

[kabirartfling 9,063]

Water slides cancelled for me , rip kid 

[RAMROD 117,070]

The slope on this one are too extreme tbh

[Tokyo Rose 1,475]

Initial tests when the ride was built, showed it was not safe, and the opening was delayed multiple times.

There is even video of the raft flying out in initial tests before netting was installed.

https://tune.pk/video/4081294/verruckt-dummie-raft-ejected-world-tallest-waterslide-fail

 

[ReidOne 12,427]

Just now, Tokyo Rose said:

Initial tests when the ride was built, showed it was not safe, it the opening was delayed multiple times.

There is even video of the raft flying out in initial tests before netting was installed.

https://tune.pk/video/4081294/verruckt-dummie-raft-ejected-world-tallest-waterslide-fail

 

I was just about to post this, too... Disturbing. 

http://www.people.com/article/water-slide-verruckt-delay-opening-raft-flying-watch

[LanasNerfGun 4,679]

Such tragedy.  My thoughts are with his family.  May he rest in eternal peace.

[Evan Peters 10,776]

another reason not to trust water parks lol

[freezer bride 1,405]

OMG I'VE BEEN TO THIS WATERPARK BEFORE. 

OT: My prayers are with the family. 

[PunkTheFunk 125,703]

Awful  Water slides have always seemed incredibly sketchy to me... I don't trust them