Caleb was riding the world's tallest water slide—a 168-foot behemoth whose name literally means "insane" in German.
In the wake of the incident, the Schwab family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. In 2017, they reached a with the park's owners, the raft manufacturer, and other companies involved in the slide's construction. A large portion of this settlement, $14 million, was paid by two companies associated with Schlitterbahn.
While journalists can request many public records via FOIA or state equivalents, Kansas law explicitly excludes autopsy reports from routine disclosure unless a court orders otherwise. To date, no court has done so. caleb schwab autopsy report
On August 7, 2016, Caleb Schwab was riding Verrückt—the world’s tallest water slide, standing at 168 feet. During the ride, the three-person raft went airborne as it ascended the second hump. This caused Caleb to collide with a metal support hoop and the safety netting designed to keep riders on the slide. Autopsy Findings and Cause of Death
In April 2017, the Kansas Legislature overwhelmingly passed . The legislation completely overhauled state amusement park oversight by implementing the following mandates: Caleb was riding the world's tallest water slide—a
Caleb Schwab’s death is not merely a local story from more than a decade ago; it is a cautionary tale about how accidents cluster where systems are informal, information is opaque, and the costs of prevention are deferred. The measure of respect for his memory is not only sorrow expressed in words but policy enacted in practice—so that curiosity no longer becomes a death sentence, and public buildings are safe for the children who should be able to explore them without fear.
On that August afternoon, Caleb Schwab was seated in the front of a six-person raft (three riders per side, though later modifications changed the design). The other two riders in his raft were two adult women, neither of whom were related to Caleb. During the descent, witnesses reported that the raft became airborne as it crested the second hill. Forensic analysis later determined that Caleb was decapitated by metal support loops that were part of the ride’s netting structure. A large portion of this settlement, $14 million,
Evidence in the subsequent legal proceedings showed that the ride was built without proper engineering credentials. Aftermath and Legal Actions
: The ride had a history of 14 other serious incidents, including injuries like concussions and spinal fractures , which were allegedly ignored by management. 4. Legal and Industrial Aftermath
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