Criminal Charges in Waterpark Decapitation Death

Q: Can someone be held criminally and civilly liable for a death?

When a child dies in a tragic accident that’s particularly gruesome, the memory lingers for years. Such is the case in the alleged wrongful death two years ago of the then 10-year-old son of a Kansas lawmaker. The boy was decapitated while riding the “Verruckt” ride–reportedly the world’s tallest waterslide—at a Kansas City waterpark. Reportedly, two other women in his raft suffered serious facial injuries.  

Skilled Kansas City personal injury attorneys can help those who have been injured as a result of the negligent, reckless, or intentional actions or inactions of another person or entity recover compensatory damages for their injuries.

There are many different categories of personal injury law under which a victim or their surviving family members may commence legal action, depending on the circumstances of their particular case. Some examples include the doctrine of premises liability which holds residential and commercial property owners responsible for injuries on their property caused by poor or unsafe conditions.

Another example is product liability which may be appropriate where victims are injured from dangerous, defective, or poorly designed products that are unsafe and don’t perform in the manner expected. So, whenever you are injured by someone else, a skilled personal injury attorney can review your case and advise you on how you may be able to recover damages for your injuries and losses.

In the case at hand, the boy’s family and the other two victims reportedly settled their civil claims for compensatory damages for their personal injuries and their sons alleged wrongful death. But the case is back in the news because of recent criminal charges related to the boy’s death. Now, the defendants will need a skilled Kansas City criminal defense attorney.

Specifically, three individuals have reportedly been charged in the boy’s death including a co-owner of the waterpark, its former operations director, and the designer of the waterslide. The designer reportedly “had no engineering credential relevant to amusement ride design or safety” and has been charged with second-degree murder. The park and its former operations officer reportedly face involuntary manslaughter charges. The charges against the co-owner are not clear.

It is not uncommon for those allegedly responsible for the personal injuries or wrongful death of others to face criminal charges as well in connection with the same event.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of someone else’s negligence, or if you have been charged with a crime, the attorneys at Noland Law Firm can help you. Contact us today for a free consultation.

From our office in Liberty, Missouri, our firm is dedicated to representing injured people and their families and defending those accused of crimes throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and Western Missouri, including Clay County, Liberty, Blue Springs, Independence, and Gladstone.