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Water park will permanently shut down Verruckt water slide after boy’s death

Verruckt at SchlitterbahnsThe Kansas City water park where a 10-year-old boy died this summer in a water slide accident announced Tuesday that it is permanently closing the water slide.

In a statement, Schlitterbahn said once the investigation is concluded and the court grants permission, they will shut down Verrückt.

“Verrückt will be decommissioned – closed permanently and the slide removed from the tower,” the statement said. “In our opinion, it is the only proper course of action following this tragedy. We will, at some point in the future, announce what will be built in its place.”

Caleb Schwab was killed in August at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City after he suffered a fatal neck injury while riding the Verrückt.  The attraction was billed as  “the world’s tallest water slide.”

In the statement, the company said it will continue “…to fully cooperate with investigative teams and work with the families, their attorneys and our staff impacted by this accident.”

Here’s the entire statement from the park’s Facebook page:

“All of us at Schlitterbahn have been heartbroken over the tragedy that occurred on Verrückt. In our 50 years of providing an environment for families and friends to gather, we’ve never experienced this kind of devastating event. The safety of our staff and our guests is our top priority. We are parents and grandparents ourselves and many of us have ridden Verrückt with our own children and grandchildren over the years it operated.

Once the investigation is concluded and we are given permission by the court, Verrückt will be decommissioned – closed permanently and the slide removed from the tower. In our opinion, it is the only proper course of action following this tragedy.

We will, at some point in the future, announce what will be built in its place.

We continue to fully cooperate with investigative teams and work with the families, their attorneys and our staff impacted by this accident. As we move forward, we assure everyone who works for us and the community: we remain wholly committed to our Kansas City park and the original vision of Schlitterbahn – providing a great place to work and an environment for families and friends to gather together.”

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