The world’s tallest water slide turned deadly on Sunday after a Kansas state lawmaker's son was killed on the Kansas City attraction.
Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Rep. Scott Schwab, died on the 17-story water slide known as the Verrückt boasted by the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas as a ride taller than Niagara Falls.
Caleb, 10, was at the park with his mother, father and brothers, according to WDAF-TV.
Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio offered few details at a press conference Sunday evening as questions probed how the boy died on the towering ride.
“We honestly don’t know what’s happened,” Prosapio said. “That’s why a full investigation is necessary. We have to understand what’s happened.”
The slide sends up to three riders on a raft speeding 60-70 mph down a height of 168 feet and 7 inches.
A video of the ride shared in June shows an operator strapping the riders to the raft and flipping a switch to open the safety gate. The raft then veers forward and rushes through a tube surrounded by netting at a 60-degree angle. The raft scales one peak before emerging to a pool of water at the end.
Caleb’s home was filled with people mourning the boy's tragic death, the Star reported.
The family issued a statement on Sunday night, thanking their friends and family for the outpour of support over their loss.
"Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those who he came into contact with," the Schwabs said in their statement. "As we try to mend our home with him no longer with us, we are comforted knowing he believed in his Saviour, Jesus, and they are forever together now. We will see him another day."
Prosapio said Schlitterbahn Water Park has closed pending the investigation into Caleb’s death.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” she added.
Prosapio said all Schlitterbahn Water Park rides are inspected daily, in addition to independent inspections conducted before the start of each season.
The park requires riders on the Verrückt to be at least 54-inches-tall and weigh no more than 300 pounds, Prosapio added. It's unclear if Caleb met the height requirement at this time.
Officers are still investigating the scene, calling it an “apparent accident death,” Kansas City police chief Terry Zeigler said.
Rep. Schwab did not respond to a Daily News request for comment. He was first elected to Kansas' house in 2003, representing District 49, covering Olathe.
The ride, which translates to “insane” in German, debuted in July 2014, after months of delay to deal with mechanical and construction issues, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Amusement parks report more than 1,000 injuries every year, with major cases often ending in confidential settlements, leaving the public clueless when it comes to how safe they really are on rides.
The park’s co-owner Jeff Henry, who created the massive water slide with designer John Schooley, said Verrückt was “dangerous, but it’s a safe dangerous” when it first opened, USA Today reported.
“I’m still recovering mentally. It’s like jumping off the Empire State Building,” Henry said after his first plunge.
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