When the creators of the world’s tallest waterslide—Verrückt—tested it for the very first time, they were buzzing with adrenaline.
“That was the best ride I’ve ever been on,” inventor Jeff Henry said.
His colleague, John Schooley, chimed in with a nervous laugh, “I know, me too! We weren’t even sure we were going to make it out alive.”
They had no idea that what felt like an exciting risk would later become the center of a devastating and fatal disaster.
A Young Boy’s Day at the Waterpark Ended in Horror
Fast forward four years, and the waterslide they were so proud of claimed the life of a 10-year-old boy named Caleb Schwab.
It was a family outing on a special day—“Elected Official Day”—when Kansas lawmakers and their families were invited to enjoy the waterpark for free.
Caleb, the son of Kansas state representative Scott Schwab, had no idea he wouldn’t make it home.
As he boarded the 17-story-tall Verrückt slide, his raft flew off track.
Tragically, his head collided with a metal pole meant to support a safety net, killing him instantly.
The scene that followed was chaos.
His broken body landed in the catch pool at the bottom while two women on the raft with him were left bleeding and traumatized.
Lifeguards had to block the view from horrified onlookers.
“We’ve Lost Some Joy”: A Family’s Grief in Public View
Caleb wasn’t just a political figure’s son—he was a big-hearted kid who played baseball with the Kansas City Mudcats and had three brothers who adored him.
At his funeral, his father gave an emotional tribute.
“When my kids were born, Nathan was my pleasure, Caleb was my joy, Alex was my delight, and Isaac was my treasure.
We’ve lost Caleb, my joy,” he said, holding back tears.
Scott recalled how Caleb comforted him during hard times.
When Scott lost his job years earlier, it was five-year-old Caleb who told him everything would be okay.
“He held me then,” Scott said.
“That was Caleb.”
An Obsession With Breaking Records and a Reality TV Feature Fueled a Rushed Project
As the investigation unfolded, disturbing claims emerged.
Henry and Schooley were accused of designing the slide not with safety in mind, but with the aim of wowing producers for the Travel Channel’s Xtreme Waterparks.
Their methods? Crude, to say the least.
They used sandbags to simulate riders and made rapid-fire changes without formal testing protocols.
Neither man had a background in engineering or ride safety.
Despite glaring red flags, they pressed on with the project, determined to get a Guinness World Record—and perhaps a few TV ratings—at any cost.
A Slide So Dangerous It Needed Riders to Be Weighed Like Luggage
The Verrückt wasn’t just tall; it was unpredictable.
Riders had to be weighed to make sure their combined mass was heavy enough to keep the raft grounded.
Even then, it wasn’t foolproof.
On the day Caleb died, he couldn’t ride with his brother because the weight wasn’t enough.
Instead, his older brother Nathan went down first with two strangers.
Then came Caleb’s turn.
But his raft went airborne.
“He flew from the Verrückt,” Nathan said, stunned, just before their mom Michelle arrived and was kept from seeing what had happened.
“I kind of knew in my mind that I shouldn’t see it,” she later shared.
“That I probably don’t want to see it.”
No Inspections, No Standards—Just a Free Pass in Kansas
Unlike other states, Kansas didn’t require water parks to be inspected by a state agency.
That loophole allowed Verrückt to be built and operated without much regulatory oversight.
Court documents later described the entire process as rushed and dangerously amateur.
Even the safety netting that was meant to protect riders ended up being the very thing that killed Caleb.
There were already signs the ride wasn’t safe—13 people had reportedly been injured on the slide before Caleb’s death.
That included a 15-year-old who temporarily went blind and two others who suffered concussions.
Criminal Charges Followed, But So Did Controversy and Loopholes
Henry and Schooley were charged with second-degree murder and child endangerment.
Two other park employees were accused of obstruction for allegedly hiding that a brake mat hadn’t been replaced.
Prosecutors painted a picture of reckless ambition fueled by fame.
But the legal case soon unraveled.
The judge eventually tossed out all charges, claiming that the grand jury had been improperly influenced by dramatic footage from the Travel Channel.
The show, which hyped up Verrückt’s dangers, was ruled too prejudicial.
As a result, not only were Henry and Schooley cleared, but the park’s director—who had been charged with manslaughter—also walked free.
Millions in Settlements and the End of Verrückt
Caleb’s family reached a $20 million settlement with Schlitterbahn and the companies linked to the ride.
The Kansas City waterpark shut down in 2018, and Verrückt was demolished shortly after.
Despite all the controversy, Schlitterbahn officials have continued to defend their record, claiming the ride was safe and that the show had dramatized events unfairly.
“Many of us, and our children and grandchildren, have ridden the ride with complete confidence,” one spokesperson insisted.
A Boy Remembered, a Lesson That Came Too Late
In the end, no one was held criminally responsible for Caleb’s death.
The system failed to act in time, both in regulation and in justice.
But what remains is the memory of a little boy who radiated joy, and the lesson that thrill-seeking shouldn’t come before safety.
As the Schwab family continues to heal, Caleb’s short life stands as a reminder of how quickly everything can go wrong—especially when profit and ego are allowed to outrun responsibility.