KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- An executive at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City was charged in connection with the death of a 10-year-old boy who died on a water slide in 2016, according to WDAF.
Tyler Austin Miles is charged in connection with the death of Caleb Schwab, 10, who died while riding the Verrückt water slide.
The attraction, which was built in 2014, was once promoted as the world’s tallest water slide at 168 feet, 7 inches. It has since been permanently shut down.
Miles worked as the director of operations for Schlitterbahn. His job duties include overseeing all water park and property operations ranging from aquatics and facility services to water quality control, landscaping and grounds and maintenance.
Miles is the first person charged with Caleb’s death. He is currently being held on a $50,000 bond.
Schlitterbahn issued the following statement:
Caleb was riding the slide with two adult women. One woman suffered a broken jaw, and the other suffered a broken bone in her face and had to have stitches in her eye. The two women have since agreed to out-of-court financial settlements in the case.
At the time of Caleb’s death, the slide was in compliance with Kansas’ legal requirements for amusements rides, which mostly involve proper record-keeping. State law mandates that parks annually “self-inspect” their rides and maintain the records.
According to WDAF, several other states rejected the building of the Verrückt water slide, but lax amusement ride regulations in Kansas allowed the ride to be built at the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kan.