A 10-year-old boy was decapitated as he rode a 168-foot tall waterslide at a waterpark in Kansas Sunday.
The boy was decapitated on the “Verruckt” raft ride at the Schlitterbahn WaterPark in Kansas City, Kansas.
The boy was in a raft with two women who were not related to him when he was killed. The women were treated for facial injuries.
The Guinness World Records has certified the ride as the tallest in the world.
At least two people who recently rode on “Verruckt” — German for “insane” — have said the nylon shoulder straps came loose during the ride. It is not clear at this time if the straps played any role in the boy’s death.
The park said Tuesday that “Verruckt” will be closed for the rest of the season.
“Verruckt” riders sit in multi-person rafts that begin with a steep drop, followed by a surge up a second hill before a 50-foot descent to a finishing pool. Each “Verruckt” rider must be at least 54 inches tall, and the combined body weight of the riders on each raft is limited to 400 to 550 pounds.
Riders are harnessed in with two nylon seatbelt-like straps — one that crosses the rider’s lap, the other stretching diagonally like a car shoulder seat belt. Each strap is held in place by long Velcro-style straps. Riders also hang on to ropes inside the raft.
Schlitterbahn in Kansas City has been sued for negligence at least three times, all in 2014, although none of those legal actions involved the waterslide.
Water parks, for the most part, provide fun and entertainment to thousands of people a day. However, they are sometimes the scene of serious accidents, like slip, trip and falls and drownings. As this case shows, people can be injured or tragically killed at water parks.
When water park accidents happen, injury victims and their families can be left to deal with extensive medical treatments, long and painful recovers, and even wrongful death.
If you or a loved one was injured in a water park accident or suffered harm on a water slide, our Florida Water Park Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online to learn how we can assist with your claim.