In brief
Mary Liz Eastland, the medical officer for Camp Mystic, testified that she did not report the deaths of 27 campers and counselors to state health authorities, raising concerns about the camp's pending license application. Despite the tragedy occurring during a July 4 flood, Eastland struggled to recall critical details and expressed uncertainty over the reporting timeline. The families of the victims are pushing for accountability and have filed lawsuits amid ongoing investigations into the camp's operations and the events surrounding the flood.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The medical officer for the Texas summer camp where 27 girls were killed in a flood last year testified Tuesday, revealing she has not officially reported the deaths to the state health agency responsible for regulating camps as it reviews its application to reopen this summer.
Mary Liz Eastland, a member of the family that owns and operates Camp Mystic, faced tough questioning during a legal battle between camp operators and victim families advocating for preservation of evidence from the flood. The hearings over the past two days have provided extensive details regarding the July 4 disaster on the Guadalupe River, alongside revelations of delayed evacuation decisions that contributed to the tragedy.
The confirmed deaths of 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the all-girls camp are not disputed; however, Texas state law mandates that camps report such fatalities to health officials within 24 hours. I did not think of this requirement in the moments happening after the flood, Eastland admitted, indicating her oversight in timing her reports after the camp's application was made on March 31 to reopen.
With the camp's license application in limbo, Eastland was pressed on the necessity of formal reporting, to which she reluctantly replied, I guess so. This raises uncertainty about whether this failure will impact the licensing process.
The state health regulators are expected to visit Camp Mystic as part of their review, scrutinizing hundreds of complaints against the camp and possibly collaborating with the Texas Rangers on investigations. Families affected by the flood, notably the family of missing camper Cile Steward, have expressed outrage over the camp's plans to reopen and are demanding further accountability under the Eastland family's management.
Mary Liz Eastland's husband, Edward, also faced critical questioning, revealing details of the chaotic moments during the flood as he attempted to save lives. Reports detail his emotional testimony of desperation as he fought to rescue children from the raging waters.
Testifying about the aftermath, Mary Liz described her struggles to gather survivors and ensure children's safety but acknowledged her lack of action to evacuate campers when the floodwaters began rising. Criticism from families remains directed at her experience at Camp Mystic and the expectations of her response as a leader during such a crisis.
You knew the property. You knew the flood lines. You knew access points, remarked Christina Yarnell, the attorney for the Steward family. Amid increasing scrutiny, Eastland admitted, Yes, when asked if she abandoned Cile Steward during the flood.
