TOPEKA, Kan. – A Kansas water park, a construction company and three men involved with a giant waterslide have been indicted on numerous criminal charges arising from the death of a 10-year-old boy on the ride.
A Wyandotte County grand jury has issued two indictments stemming from the August 2016 decapitation of Caleb Schwab on the Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas.
One indictment charges the park and its former operations manager, Tyler Austin Miles, with 20 felonies. The other charges Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeffrey Wayne Henry, ride co-designer John Timothy Schooley and Henry & Sons Construction Company Inc. with 18 felonies.
A summary of the charges.
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SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
Henry, Schooley and the construction company have been indicted on one count of second-degree murder in Caleb's death. The indictment alleges that they "recklessly" killed the boy "under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to life." The indictment says a conviction could result in a sentence ranging from nine years and one month in prison to 41 years and one month in prison. Also, the maximum potential fine is $300,000.
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INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
In connection with Caleb's death, the park and Miles have been indicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter, or recklessly killing another person. Their indictment says the penalty for a conviction is between two years and seven months and 11 years and four months in prison. The potential fine is $300,000.
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CHILD ENDANGERMENT
All five defendants have been indicted on five counts of aggravated child endangerment. One count is tied to Caleb's death, and the other four, to injuries suffered by children while riding on Verruckt in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The indictments say a conviction on each charge results in a prison sentence of between five and 17 months. There's also a potential fine of $100,000.
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AGGRAVATED BATTERY
All five defendants have been indicted on 12 counts of aggravated battery. Three of them stem from injuries to children also covered in the child endangerment counts. The other nine involve injuries to adult riders on Verruckt. The indictments say convictions carry penalties ranging from 11 months to 11 years and four months in prison. Five counts come with a possible fine of $100,000 and for seven others, it's $300,000.
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INTERFERING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
The park and Miles have been indicted on two counts of interference with law enforcement. One count alleges they concealed evidence, and the other alleges they give false information to a Kansas City, Kansas police detective. For a conviction, the prison sentence could range between five and 23 months. The potential fine is $100,000.
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