10-year-old dies on world's tallest water slide

A fun ride ends in tragedy.
(Image credit: iStock)

A 10-year-old boy died Sunday on the tallest water slide in the world at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

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A spokesperson for the park said it's unclear if Caleb Schwab fell from the 17-story Verrückt (German for "crazy") slide or was on it when he was killed. "We honestly don't know what's happened," Winter Prosapio, corporate director of communications for Schlitterbahn, said. "That's why a full investigation is necessary. We have to understand what's happened. … To be honest, this is not something we've experienced."

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Schwab's father, Scott Schwab, is a state representative from Olathe, the Kansas City Star reports, and it was elected officials day at the park. Verrückt riders must be at least 54 inches tall, and are strapped into a three-person raft that hits speeds of 60 to 70 mph. The slide is covered by netting, with the chute dropping 168 feet. The water park will remain closed Monday.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.