Zapletal was last seen in the Kansas River near Maple Hill, Kansas on August 15, 2007. He was on an outing with his father, his three brothers and four friends at the time. Zapletal and two other children were wading in the shallow water on a sand bar by the river's edge when the sand bar collapsed. All of the children were rescued except Zapletal. He disappeared from sight in the water and has never been heard from again. Zapletal is assumed to have drowned. An extensive search of the river turned up no sign of him, however.

Zapletal was a student at St. John Vianney Catholic School, where his father is a teacher. His family held a funeral service for him in September 2007.