Caleb Schwab Autopsy Report Jun 2026

The official autopsy findings for Caleb Schwab confirmed that the 10-year-old died of a fatal neck injury

Based on testimony from Dr. Michael Handler, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy, the following details were disclosed in open court:

If you're interested in more information, I can explain the legal charges in the case or discuss how amusement park safety standards have changed since 2016.

In response to the tragedy, Kansas passed stricter amusement park regulations requiring annual state-certified inspections and the reporting of all injuries. Where Is the Slide Now? caleb schwab autopsy report

The two adult women accompanying Caleb suffered minor facial injuries but survived the incident, as noted in the police report. Eyewitnesses at the scene described a horrific aftermath, with reports of blood on the white flume of the slide and the boy's body lying face down in the pool at the ride's conclusion. One witness reported seeing a lifeguard attempt to push people away from the scene, telling them there was nothing to be done as the boy had already died.

The Verruckt slide was permanently closed after the accident and was demolished in 2018. The Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City closed its doors for good in September 2018. In the years following the tragedy, documentary filmmaker Nathan Truesdell produced a short film examining the flawed design and engineering of the ride.

The autopsy of 10-year-old Caleb Schwab, who died on August 7, 2016, while riding the water slide at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, revealed that his cause of death was traumatic decapitation Key Autopsy and Forensic Findings Cause of Death: The official autopsy findings for Caleb Schwab confirmed

Publicly released information from the investigation confirmed the following regarding Caleb Schwab’s cause of death:

: While riding the "Verrückt" water slide, the raft Caleb was in went airborne at the second hump. Caleb was thrown forward and upward, causing his head to strike a semicircular metal support hoop that held the ride's safety netting in place.

The autopsy report, performed by the Wyandotte County Coroner’s office, confirmed the cause of death as a . Where Is the Slide Now

The case is now studied by theme park safety experts worldwide as a primary example of the dangers of choosing aesthetics and record-breaking marketing over rigorous engineering and physics data.

: On August 7, 2016, 10-year-old Caleb Schwab died while riding the Verrückt at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas.