Arrest in Kansas Water Slide Death Case

Indictments have been handed down, and an arrest has been made in connection with the death of a child in 2016 at a Kansas water park.

Back in August of 2016 10-year-old Caleb Schwab was killed and two women were injured at Schlitterbahn Water Park while riding the Verruckt, which was billed as the world’s tallest water slide.

According to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, a Wyandotte County grand jury has indicted one individual and one corporation on charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death. The indictment includes charges of involuntary manslaughter against Schlitterbahn Water Park of Kansas City, Kansas, and against Tyler Austin Miles, a former director of operations at the water park.

The two defendants also were indicted in connection with injuries sustained by 13 other persons, including four other minors, while riding the water slide. Those charges include aggravated battery and aggravated endangering a child. In addition, Miles was indicted on two counts of interference with law enforcement and Schlitterbahn was indicted on one count of interference with law enforcement.

Miles turned himself in to the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office Friday morning. At a first appearance Friday afternoon afternoon, the defense waived formal reading of the indictment and entered a plea of not guilty. The defense filed a motion to reduce bond which was argued and denied. Bond has been set at $50,000 cash or professional surety.

A jury trial date has been set for September 10 at 9 a.m. A status conference has been set for April 25 at 2 p.m.

The charges will be prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, which assumed responsibility for the case in December 2016 at the request of the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office.

Attorney General Schmidt said the indictment follows a 19-month investigation involving numerous law enforcement agencies including the Kansas City, Kan. Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Kansas Attorney General’s Office and Comal County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office.

That water slide has since been closed. The company says it will be demolished as soon as a court rules it’s no longer needed for evidentiary purposes.

Schwab’s family reached a settlement in January with Schlitterbahn and the raft’s manufacturer.