TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – The Latest on the arrest of a water park company’s co-owner in Texas in connection to a Kansas criminal case

The family of a 10-year-old Kansas boy killed on what was promoted as the world’s largest waterslide says a criminal indictment shows that issues with the water park company “go far beyond” the boy’s death.

The family of Caleb Schwab released a statement in reaction to a 20-count indictment released last week of Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts and one of its co-owners.

Another co-owner, Jeffrey Henry, was arrested Monday and booked into a Texas jail on suspicion of murder, child endangerment and other charges. He’s expected in court Tuesday.

The Schwab family says they have “full faith and trust” in Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and know he’ll “take appropriate steps in the interest of public safety.”

Caleb was killed in August 2016 while riding the waterslide at the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas.

The indictment released last week alleges the slide met few, if any, industry standards and that necessary repairs were avoided or delayed.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the arrest of a water park company’s co-owner in Texas in connection to a Kansas criminal case (all times local):

11:45 a.m.

A Texas judge has ordered the co-owner of a water park company held without bond as a criminal case proceeds in the death of a 10-year-old boy at one of the company’s parks in Kansas.

Victoria Cisneros, spokeswoman for the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office, says 62-year-old Jeffrey Henry appeared for a hearing Tuesday.

She says county prosecutors asked that Henry be held without bond at the request of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. Henry was earlier being held on a $500,000 bond. He’s facing charges in Kansas of murder, aggravated battery and aggravated child endangerment.

Henry will remain at the Cameron County jail in far South Texas as he awaits extradition to Kansas. Cisneros didn’t immediately have details on when extradition may occur.

Henry’s arrest Monday follows a Kansas grand jury’s indictment last week of the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, and a former operations director on 20 felony charges. They included a single count of involuntary manslaughter over the death of Caleb Schwab in 2016.

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8:45 a.m.

Jail records show the co-owner of a Kansas water park where a 10-year-old boy died on a giant water slide is being held in Texas on suspicion of murder, aggravated battery and aggravated child endangerment.

Cameron County jail’s brief online records cite a “Kansas agency” in the booking charges against Jeffrey Henry. The records don’t provide any detail, but a spokeswoman for the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, said Monday that Henry had been arrested in the 2016 death of Caleb Schwab.

The office of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt hasn’t responded to phone calls and emails seeking details about possible charges against Henry. The Kansas indictment is sealed.

A Cameron County booking clerk says Henry is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

A Kansas grand jury last week indicted Schlitterbahn and its former operations director, Tyler Austin Miles, on 20 felony charges. They included a single count of involuntary manslaughter in Caleb’s death.

Henry is co-owner of Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts. Online jail records did not list an attorney for him.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A water park company’s co-owner was expected to appear in court after his arrest in Texas in connection with a Kansas criminal case arising from a 10-year-old boy’s death on what was promoted as the world’s largest waterslide.

Records show that Jeffrey Henry, co-owner of Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts, was booked into the jail in Cameron County, Texas. He was being held without bond, and a jail booking clerk said he would remain there until a court appearance Tuesday.

Henry’s arrest Monday follows a Kansas grand jury’s indictment last week of the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, and its former operations director, Tyler Austin Miles, on 20 felony charges. They included a single count of involuntary manslaughter over the death of Caleb Schwab in 2016.

Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said that considering last week’s indictment, the company is not surprised by Henry’s arrest. The company also promised to aggressively fight the criminal charges against Miles and the park, and respond to the allegations in the 47-page indictment “point by point.”

“We as a company and as a family will fight these allegations and have confidence that once the facts are presented it will be clear that what happened on the ride was an unforeseeable accident,” she said in an emailed statement.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails seeking further comment, details about Henry’s arrest, or information about exactly what criminal charges he faces. The Kansas City Star reported that Henry was taken into custody by U.S. marshals out of Brownsville, Texas.

Prosapio said Schlitterbahn does not expect any changes to the Kansas City park’s season, which is set to open May 25 and run through Labor Day. The big slide there — Verruckt, or German for “insane” — has been closed since Caleb died.

The boy was decapitated after the raft on which he was riding went airborne. He was the son of Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab, of Olathe, and the family reached settlements of nearly $20 million with Schlitterbahn and various companies associated with the design and construction of the waterslide.

The two women who rode with Caleb suffered serious injuries and settled claims with Schlitterbahn for an undisclosed amount.

The indictment against Miles and the park alleges that Verruckt met few, if any, industry standards and that Miles delayed or avoided necessary repairs, even after the ride’s brake system failed.

The indictment also said Henry helped design the giant waterslide even though he had “no technical or engineering credentials” and that he set a “rushed timeline” for its construction.

Schlitterbahn said last week’s indictment is “full of false information,” and the company also rejected its allegations that Miles and the company withheld information from law enforcement officials. It said the allegation that Caleb’s death was foreseeable is “beyond the pale of speculation.”

Miles’ attorneys said in their own statement that they welcome the opportunity to prove his innocence in court.

“Not only had Tyler ridden the slide numerous times, but, as the State is aware, he had scheduled his wife, to ride it on the day of the accident,” the attorneys, Tom and Tricia Bath, said in their statement. “These are not the actions of someone who believed the ride to be dangerous.”

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas water park’s operator says it will open again as scheduled this spring and aggressively contest criminal charges arising from a 10-year-old boy’s death on a giant slide.

Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts said in a statement Monday that a grand jury indictment’s allegation that the 2016 accident was foreseeable is “beyond the pale of speculation.”

The company also promised to respond to the allegations in the indictment “point by point” in coming weeks.

A Wyandotte County grand jury indicted the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, and former executive Tyler Miles on 20 felony charges. Miles’ attorneys also said he is innocent.

The charges include involuntary manslaughter in the death of Caleb Schwab in August 2016. He was decapitated on the Verruckt waterslide touted as the world’s largest.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged assault and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 1:30 p.m. Monday, police an 18-year-old was jogging on the bike path near Mclean and Seneca in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.  She was approached by a man who physically assaulted and attempted to sexually assault her.

During the attack, a City of Wichita employee who was working on the nearby observed the incident and immediately called 911 for help. Officers responded quickly and took a 36-year-old suspect into custody. Citizens who were nearby also stopped to assist the victim during this incident.

The suspect Ronald Charles Knittle is being held on a $150,000 Bond for Aggravated Sexual Battery, Robbery and Criminal Threat, according to the Sedgwick County Booking report.

The victim sustained minor injuries. Police did not release additional detail.

CLOUD COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teacher for alleged sex crimes involving a student.

On Monday, police arrested 53-year-old Kevin Johnson. He is charged with unlawful sexual relations, according to the Cloud County Attorney’s office.

Johnson was being held on a $50,000 Bond, according to the county attorney’s office and was no longer in custody.

Johnson was a vocal music teacher for USD 333 in Concordia, according to the school’s web site.

In late February, School District superintendent Quentin Breese reported in a media release that a certified high school staff member had been suspended and was no longer on campus.  Johnson remains banned from the school campus, according to the school district.

A first court appearance for Johnson had not been scheduled, according to the county attorney.

MCPHERSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged threat at a school in McPherson County.

Just before 3p.m. Monday, the Inman Police Department was dispatched to the 300 block of South Locust in Inman, according to a media release.

A 911 report of a juvenile walking away from the Inman High School making possible threats of violence was reported and a brief description of the juvenile was given to police.

Due to the initial caller’s information about the nature of the alleged threats and the close proximity to the Inman High School, Officers of the Inman Police Department, as well as administration from the Inman School District, placed both the high school and grade school into lockdown until the validity of a threat could be assessed and the juvenile located.

At about 3:23p.m.. Law Enforcement located the 14-year-old boy who was overheard possibly making threats and was taken into custody at his residence.

At 3:24 P.M. the Inman Schools were released from lockdown and students allowed to leave school.

As of Monday afternoon, there was no evidence of an actual plan, agenda, or motive of violence towards the school or school district, including students and faculty have been uncovered.

This nonspecific threat was not made to any specific person nor was it made on school property.

The 14-year-old boy remains in custody pending charges through the McPherson County Attorney’s Office.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers have approved tougher penalties for making false calls to police three months after an officer fatally shot a Wichita man during a deadly hoax emergency call.

The bill makes fake calls that result in death a felony comparable to second-degree murder. Any false call for emergency help would be at least a misdemeanor, becoming a felony if the caller uses a fake identity or electronically masks their identity.

The practice is known as “swatting,” and occurs when someone makes a call to police with a false story of an ongoing crime in an attempt to draw a large number of police officers to a particular address.

The bill is named the Andrew Finch Act, after the man killed by Wichita police as they responded to a hoax emergency call in December that they thought was a hostage situation. The legislation was championed by his mother, Lisa Finch.

“Perhaps passing this bill will give her a little bit of peace,” Sen. Lynn Rogers, D-Wichita,

The bill is headed to Gov. Jeff Colyer after the Legislature passed it on Tuesday. The Senate approved House Bill 2581 on a 40-0 vote. The House approved it unanimously in February. The governor has 10 days after receiving legislation to sign or veto it.

Rogers read a statement from Lisa Finch on the Senate floor: “He loved his children the most and he was dedicated to making sure his family and the others he let into his life were comfortable and felt safe. He was everyone’s protector.”

Tyler Barriss, 25, of Los Angeles, has been charged with manslaughter in Finch’s death for allegedly making the bogus call.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors say a former Pratt elementary school secretary has been indicted on federal firearms charges.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas says Claudia Rodriguez-Oviedo was indicted Tuesday on two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by an immigrant who is illegally in the United States.

The 33-year-old Mexican national is serving a one-year sentence after her January conviction in Pratt County District court on charges related to a bomb threat to the high school in Pratt high.

Rodriguez-Oviedo was a secretary at Southwest Elementary School, and had a work permit at the time.

After her local arrest, she allegedly admitted she owned a handgun and a search of her residence found a Remington handgun and box of ammunition. A federal criminal complaint was initially filed against her in December.

By STEPHEN KORANDA

Lawmakers in the Kansas House rejected an effort Monday to allow medical marijuana in the state.

But they advanced a plan to allow the sale of some products made from cannabis — if the high-producing compounds have been removed.

The discussion over legalizing cannabis for medical purposes came as lawmakers considered regular updates to the state’s drug laws.

Democratic Rep. Cindy Holscher offered an amendment that would have created a medical marijuana system in Kansas.

She said that her daughter was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and that the side effects of some of her medications have been severe. Marijuana, she said, might offer some relief.

“Please don’t make us lawbreakers,” Holscher said. “Give us an option for something that has been proven to work.”

Marijuana offered a safer alternative to medications such as opioids, Holscher argued.

Republican Rep. Abraham Rafie called research on the issue “noisy.” He said studies had shown medical benefits from medical marijuana use but had also showed dangers of using cannabis.

“There’s a motivation to find what each side wants to see in the research,” Rafie said.

Rafie also raised concerns about other complications from medicinal marijuana, such as greater availability of cannabis to minors and driving under the influence.

Several lawmakers lined up during the debate to offer stories of people fighting cancer or other ailments who could benefit from medical marijuana.

Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster said he had known someone with ovarian cancer who had used medical marijuana to ease pain. However, Waymaster said such a major policy change should not have been brought up through an amendment on the floor.

“I do acknowledge the benefits of it, I’ve seen it,” Waymaster said. “But to bring this forward in a 116-page amendment is not the right process.”

Other supporters of the amendment said the normal process hadn’t given medical marijuana a fair hearing in the legislature. Democratic Rep. Steven Crum serves on the House health committee and said the bill had not been given a chance to advance.

Crum said the proposal had been in the Legislature for multiple years.

“Yes, it’s in a 116-page amendment right now, but we have all had access to read what’s in this plan,” Crum said.

The proposal came up short of the 63 votes needed, failing on a vote of 54-69.

However, the underlying bill advanced. It contained a provision allowing the sale of some products containing a cannabis extract, cannabidiol, commonly called CBD. Those products can’t contain THC, the compound in marijuana that gets people high.

That measure survived a fight in the chamber. Republican Rep. John Barker tried to strike the CBD provision out of the bill. He said the product is illegal under federal law.

He said it would be easy to smuggle illegal THC-containing products into Kansas along with CBD products.

“It could be what we used to call in the old days a bootlegger’s paradise,” Barker said.

That’s not a realistic scenario, said Republican Rep. Willie Dove. He said the factories that manufacture the product are regulated and have oversight.

One of the uses of the CBD oil is treating seizures. Families have asked lawmakers to legalize the product to treat their children.

Republican Rep. Erin Davis said a friend had used the oil to treat seizures in his son, Eli. She said the treatment had cut down on his seizures and allowed Eli to take part in activities he never could before.

“Just this weekend, he participated in a Special Olympics basketball tournament,” Davis said. “Eli went from having several seizures per week to having none.”

House members still need to take a final vote on the bill. If they approve it, there will be conference committee including House and Senate lawmakers. When the legislation passed the Senate it did not include the CBD provision.

The legislation was also amended in committee to remove kratom from the list of illegal drugs. It’s a supplement used by people trying to wean themselves off opioids.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda.

RENO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 3 a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to 227 West 8th Street in Hutchinson after report of a stabbing, according to a media release. Officers found 31-year-old Daniel Rivera II of Hutchinson in the residence with multiple stab wounds.

Rivera II was transported to a Wichita hospital for treatment.

The suspect Taylor Perry Stuart, 35, Nickerson, fled the scene. Police arrested him later Tuesday morning on requested charges of Attempted 2 degree Murder and Aggravated Assault, according to police. He is being held on a bond of $105,000.00.