Schlitterbahn co-owner waives extradition but remains in custody in Texas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Jeff Henry, the co-owner of Schlitterbahn, will not oppose extradition to Kansas, where he faces several criminal charges, including second-degree murder, for the death of a 10-year-old child on the Verruckt water slide.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that after a hearing before a judge, Henry remained in custody without bond in Cameron County, Texas. Magistrate Judge Luis Sorrola said he would consider granting bond if Kansas officials don't pick him Henry by Tuesday, the AP reported.

A spokeswoman for the Kansas attorney general was not immediately available for comment.

Henry and business partner John Schooley were charged in a grand jury indictment, unsealed on Tuesday, with murder, aggravated battery and child endangerment for their roles in designing a 17-story water slide in Kansas City, Kan., that killed 10-year-old Caleb Schwab in 2016.

Caleb died when his raft went airborne on Aug. 7, 2016; he hit a metal pole that supported a netting system with enough force that it decapitated him.

Henry and Schooley are accused of lacking the professional credentials to design a thrill ride and ignoring warnings and indications that the slide posed a danger to riders.

Schooley is not yet in custody.

Another Schlitterbahn employee, Tyler Miles, was indicted Friday on similar charges. Miles, director of operations for Schlitterbahn in Kansas City, Kan., is also accused of concealing records from law enforcement authorities investigating the child's death.

Schlitterbahn and a related contracting company, Henry & Sons Construction, also face criminal charges.

Schlitterbahn has denied claims in the indictment and said that the water park is safe. The Texas-based water park operator said it plans to contest the Kansas attorney general's case.

Also on Wednesday, the Kansas Department of Labor said it will audit the Schlitterbahn water park before it is scheduled to open for the 2018 season in May. The department is responsible for regulating amusement parks in Kansas.

The department last conducted a full audit of the water park in 2016. It paid Schlitterbahn another visit in 2017 to investigate an injury to a visitor. Details of that investigation were not immediately available on Wednesday.