The Texas Board of Nursing has suspended the license of Mary Liz Eastland, co-director and registered nurse at Camp Mystic, accusing her of abandoning campers and staff during last year's catastrophic flood that killed 25 girls and two teenage counselors. The order, signed Tuesday by executive director Kristin Benton, states that Eastland's actions constitute a 'continuing and imminent threat to public welfare.'
According to the order, Eastland evacuated herself and her children to higher ground without providing assistance or direction to other campers and staff as the Guadalupe River flooded the camp. Eastland has acknowledged in court that she never tried to reach those in the low-lying areas of the camp. Her father-in-law, camp owner Richard Eastland, also died in the flood.
Eastland rejects the findings and will fight the suspension, said attorney Joshua Fiveson. He criticised the board for suspending her license with less than a day's notice of a hearing and without a full investigation. 'This is a sad day for Mrs. Eastland as well as every licensed nurse in Texas,' Fiveson said. 'This was an exercise in premature punishment.'
The board will issue a final decision on her license within two months. Since the flood, the Eastland family has faced intense criticism from victims' families and Texas lawmakers, with several lawsuits filed. Camp Mystic had planned to reopen this summer but cancelled after outrage from parents.
In April, legislative hearings revealed the camp's lack of detailed flood emergency planning, reliance on poorly trained staff, and missed opportunities to evacuate children from riverside cabins. Eastland testified that she could not pass through rising floodwaters to reach campers and did not call other medical staff for help, saying 'Maybe so' when asked if they could have assisted with evacuation.
