The Story of Caleb Schwab: Decapitated at Verruckt Water Slide

Just from the name, Verruckt which mean "insane," one would know that the Verruckt was nothing short of the devil's ride. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

After the tragic incident in which 10-year-old Caleb Schwab, the son of Kansas state legislator Scott Schwab, was decapitated, Verrückt was permanently closed in 2016.

Following the death of Schwab, safety laws regarding amusement parks were updated to mandate state inspection of all attractions. It later came to light that at least 13 other individuals had suffered non-fatal injuries as a result of colliding with the netting above the slide.

The Construction of Verruckt

The Verruckt, which means 'crazy' or 'insane' in German, was a water slide situated in the Schlitterbahn Kansas City water park in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. It reached a height of 168 feet 7 inches (51.38 m) and became the tallest water slide in the world when it opened on July 10, 2014.

Even before its completion, the Verruckt was recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest water slide in the world in April 2014.

The slide was 168-feet tall and had 264 stairs leading to the top - taller than the Statue of Liberty and the Niagara Falls.

Just before the ride's opening, an engineering firm hired to inspect it issued a warning report stating it, "guaranteed that rafts would occasionally go airborne in a manner that could severely injure or kill the occupants.”

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After its completion, the Verrückt was opened to the public on July 10, 2014 and quickly gained national media attention.

Over time, at least thirteen riders suffered non-fatal injuries, including concussions or slipped and herniated discs, many of which had long-term effects. These injuries occurred as a result of hitting or being thrown into the ride's safety netting. The park's operations manager allegedly attempted to cover up the incidents.

The Tragedy of Caleb Schwab

On August 7th, 2016, Caleb Schwab, the 10-year-old son of Kansas state representative Scott Schwab, tragically died while riding the Verrückt. During the ascent of the second hump, the raft he was on became airborne and hit a metal support of the netting.

Due to the force of the collision, Caleb was tragically decapitated, resulting in his immediate death.

Given the severity of the situation, park employees quickly contacted emergency services and secured the area to prevent further access.

Two other passengers, both women, were injured in the incident, with one suffering a broken jaw and the other a facial bone fracture requiring stitches. Following the tragedy, the Schlitterbahn Kansas City park was closed for inspection. Although the park reopened three days later, the ride remained closed.

It was reported that Caleb was allowed to sit at the front of the raft, rather than between the two women, one of whom weighed 275 pounds and the other 197 pounds. This led to an uneven weight distribution, which experts suggested may have contributed to the raft becoming airborne.

Engineers who inspected the ride discovered that the design of the netting and metal brace system posed a hazard to riders who could easily lose a limb if they hit it while traveling at high speeds of up to 70 miles per hour .

In early 2017, the Schwab family reached a settlement with several parties involved in the incident, including Schlitterbahn, for a reported sum of around US$20 million.

Schlitterbahn's reputation and finances were adversely affected. In June 2019, two of the company's water parks in Texas were sold for $261 million.

As Verrückt was dismantled, Kilimanjaro at Aldeia das Águas Park Resort in Brazil regained its title as the tallest water slide in the world.