Kansas police say a young boy died on a popular water slide at a local water park Sunday,
Police spokesman Officer Cameron Morgan said the boy died Sunday at the Schlitterbahn Water Park. Morgan said he does not yet know the circumstances of the death.
The child has been identified by his family as Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of a Kansas lawmaker.
Olathe Representative Scott Schwab and his wife Michele released a statement Sunday after the death of their son.
“Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those he came in contact with,” said the statement, which asked for privacy as the family grieves.
Authorities initially said the victim was 12 years old, but Clint Sprague, a pastor who is acting as a spokesman for the family, said Caleb was 10.
Police said the young boy died while riding the Verrückt ride, which uses the German word for “insane” in its title, and which Guinness Book of World Records calls the world’s tallest water slide. According to the park’s website, a three person raft slides down a “jaw dropping” 168 foot 7 inch structure.
After the initial massive drop, riders are then “blasted back up a second massive hill and then sent down yet another gut wrenching 50 foot drop for the ultimate in water slide thrills,” the description on the website explains.
The park was cleared following the accident and closed while investigators from multiple agencies arrived on scene. Water park officials say Schlitterbahn will be closed Monday. Subsequently, the Verrückt is closed pending a full investigation.