The medical officer of Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Texas where 27 people died in a flood last year, has been suspended after testifying she evacuated her own family before campers. Mary Liz Eastland, a member of the camp's owning family, admitted in court that she broke a window to escape with her children to higher ground as floodwaters rose on 4 July.
Eastland testified that she did not attempt to reach low-lying areas to evacuate campers because the rapidly rising water made access impossible. She also acknowledged she had not reported the deaths to the Texas health agency within 24 hours as required by state regulations, saying she 'did not think of this requirement' in the aftermath.
The hearing is part of a lawsuit brought by the family of eight-year-old Cecilia 'Cile' Steward, whose body has not been found. The family's attorney accused Eastland of abandoning the girl, stating: 'She needed your help, and you abandoned her, didn't you?'
Edward Eastland, the camp director and Mary Liz's husband, also testified that the camp lacked a detailed flood evacuation plan and that he did not convene a staff meeting about potential flooding. He acknowledged that earlier action could have saved lives but said they could not have anticipated the storm's scale.
The camp is seeking to reopen this summer, but the state health agency is reviewing its application. The Steward family is asking for temporary closure of flooded areas to preserve evidence.
