Tragic.  A ten year-old has died  at a water park in Kansas City.  Caleb Thomas Schwab was riding the world's tallest water slide when something went wrong, deadly wrong.  Schlitterbahn water park may never be the same.  Schwab's dad is a representative in the Kansas House of Representatives. A water park spokesperson said Caleb died riding the Verruckt water slide.  It is the tallest water slide according to Guiness World Records.  The thrilling water ride is more than 168 feet tall.

Apparently the water park postponed the 2014 water slide three times to make sure it was safe. (Apparently in early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide before engineers revamped half of the ride and reconfigure some angles at a cost of $1 million.) Riders are suppose to be at least 54 inches tall (It has also been reported that they are suppose to be 14 years-old) Riders are strapped into a raft that has room for three people. The raft plus occupants are suppose to weigh at least 400 lbs so that the raft does not fly off the ramp. The ride drops 17 stories at a speed of 65 mph and then climbs five stories back up in a stream of rushing water.

An unconfirmed anonymous witness has suggested that the young boy separated from the raft and hit the netting. No matter what actually happened, water park safety will be scrutinized and hopefully parks will become safer in Caleb Thomas Schwab's memory.