Kansas City – Family Of Boy Killed On Kansas Waterslide To Receive $20M

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    This June 2016 photo provided by David Strickland shows Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Scott Schwab, a Kansas state lawmaker from Olathe. Caleb died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, while riding the Verruckt, a waterslide that's billed as the world's largest, at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. (David Strickland via AP)Kansas City – The family of a 10-year-old boy who died on a giant waterslide at a Kanas water park will receive nearly $20 million in settlement payments, according to court documents.

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    The largest payment to Caleb Schwab’s family, $14 million, will come from SVV 1 and KC Water Park, two companies associated with the Texas-based water park operator Schlitterbahn, The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/2qvFqgb ) reports.

    The rest of the money will come from the general contractor, the raft manufacturer and a company that consulted on the 17-story “Verruckt” waterslide that was dubbed the tallest in the world. The waterslide at the park in Kansas City has been closed since Caleb’s death on Aug. 7, 2016.

    The settlements had already been announced, but the amount wasn’t disclosed. The Star obtained the court documents after filing motions to intervene. The newspaper argued that the amounts paid by each defendant should be released to ensure those responsible for Caleb’s death are held publicly accountable.

    Caleb’s father is Republican Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab. Attorneys for the family declined to comment to The Star. They said previously in a written statement that the family was “determined to hold all those responsible for this tragedy accountable, while doing all they can to ensure this never happens again to another family.”

    Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio in an email to The Star that Caleb’s family and the others affected will “forever be in our thoughts and prayers.” The company previously announced it would tear down Verruckt once a court allows it, although it remains unclear when that will happen.

    Verruckt — German for “insane” — featured multi-person rafts that made a 17-story drop at speeds of up to 70 mph, followed by a surge up a hump and a 50-foot descent to a finishing pool. During the ride, Caleb was decapitated, a person familiar with the investigation previously told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because that person was not authorized to speak publicly about the boy’s death. The two women who took the ride with Caleb suffered serious facial injuries. They have settled their claims against the companies involved in the making of Verruckt.

    At the time of Caleb’s death, Kansas was known for its light regulation of amusement park rides. But last month, Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed off on legislation that beefs up the state’s requirements.

    Rep. Schwab said in March on the floor of the Kansas House that the bill was for “the next kid who goes some place in Kansas for a fun weekend.”


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    4 Comments
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    6 years ago

    Too much

    6 years ago

    Hopefully, the family will use the money to create something that benefits children. But #1 you deserve the restrained comments from #2 . Have you ever performed a Tahara on a child from a freak accident? I have. The images will remain with me for the rest of my life, and I can only imagine the images the Schwabs see all day, every day. #2 , you have my sincerest sympathy, may you only know from simchot.

    6 years ago

    To: #1 - I’m really surprised that VIN published your disgusting comment; if it was an Israeli child who was killed in a terrorist incident, you wouldn’t have made such a vile comment.