by William Crum
Jeffrey W. Henry, co-owner of Schlitterbahn waterpark, has pleaded not guilty to charges involving a death on the Verruckt waterslide in August 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas.
Henry made an appearance in Wyandotte County District Court today. A grand jury indictment charged Henry with second-degree murder, aggravated child endangerment and aggravated battery in connection with the death and other injuries on the waterslide. The prosecution is being handled by the state attorney general’s office.
In August 2016, the 10-year-old son of a state legislator died while riding the Verruckt waterslide.
Henry was brought to Wyandotte County earlier this week, and bonded out of the Wyandotte County Jail. Jail records listed the bond amount as $500,000. He is not considered to be in good health, and is expected to return to Texas. The judge required him to give up his passport.
An effort by the attorney general’s office to require Henry to wear a GPS ankle monitoring device was not approved by the judge today.
After the hearing, Henry’s attorney spoke with reporters. “Mr. Henry said he does not want to hurt anybody in Wyandotte County. He’s a very kind and gentle man,” he said.
The next hearing in the case is expected to be April 25.
Besides Henry, there were two other individuals, the Schlitterbahn corporation, and Henry and Sons Construction charged in connection with the waterslide death.