On the day of the accident, the total weight of the riders was within the park's guidelines but poorly distributed, which contributed to the raft lifting off the slide's surface. Legal Outcomes and Criminal Indictments
The of water ride dynamics and weight distribution. Share public link
While the criminal cases faltered, the civil litigation provided some closure for the Schwab family. In 2017, the family reached a multi-million dollar wrongful-death settlement with Schlitterbahn, the raft manufacturer, and other associated companies. The total settlement amounted to nearly . This was followed by further settlements with the general contractor Henry & Sons Construction and the safety consulting firm National Aquatics Safety Company. caleb schwab autopsy report
Caleb was in a three-person raft with two other women who were not related to him.
: First responders and eyewitnesses described a catastrophic scene. The raft arrived at the splashdown pool with Caleb's body remaining inside, while the physical evidence of the fatal impact was left along the upper netting structure and the slide path. On the day of the accident, the total
The ride featured a multi-person raft that plummeted down a near-vertical drop before ascending a second, 50-foot hill. To prevent rafts from flying off the slide, the designers installed a metal netting system supported by heavy steel hoops spanning the length of the second hill.
The release of the autopsy report sparked controversy, with some questioning the accuracy of the findings. Caleb's family and friends expressed concerns about the inconsistencies in the report, citing that the injuries seemed more severe than what would be expected from a simple drowning. In 2017, the family reached a multi-million dollar
The impact was instantaneous and catastrophic. The physical trauma sustained from striking the steel supports at highway speeds resulted in Caleb's immediate decapitation. The two adult passengers remaining in the raft suffered severe facial fractures, concussions, and lacerations, but survived. The raft continued down the remainder of the slide, coming to a stop in the splash pool, where lifeguards and bystanders were met with a horrific scene.
In the aftermath, a torrent of media coverage, lawsuits, and criminal charges followed. For years, true crime enthusiasts, legal analysts, and the general public have searched online for the phrase hoping to understand the precise medical and forensic details of how the boy died. This article explains what is actually known about the cause of death, why the full autopsy report has never been — and likely never will be — publicly released, and what official documents have revealed about the incident.
: At 168 feet tall , Verrückt was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest water slide.