Camp Mystic's partial reopening being met with pushback from parents

Camp Mystic reopening hearing

Camp Mystic is being met with fierce pushback from parents. Hearings were underway on April 13 as the Eastland family works to partially reopen parts of the campground this summer. Twenty-seven campers and counselors lost their lives in Kerr County during the July 4th flood.

KERR COUNTY, Texas - Camp Mystic is being met with fierce pushback from parents, as the latest round of legal hearings began on Monday in Travis County.

The Eastland family, who owns and operates the all-girls camp, is working to partially reopen its campground this summer. 

The camp is appealing a judge’s injunction issued last month that prevents any changes or renovations to the Guadalupe site, where 27 campers and counselors lost their lives. 

What they're saying:

"It is so clear that they are incapable of keeping people safe and don’t even want to be there," said Cici Steward, the mother of eight-year-old Cecilia Steward, the only camper whose body has not yet been recovered. "Our children have been ripped away from us, ripped apart, stolen from us. We don't know what happened."

Cici and her husband, Will, have been leading the legal battle against Camp Mystic, believing that any alterations or changes to the Guadalupe site could disrupt the investigation and ongoing search for Cecilia, who was often called "Cile."

Camp director, Edward Eastland, took the stand on April 13 and faced hours of questioning from the Stewards' attorney. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Camp Mystic families sue Texas DSHS

The families of nine killed at Camp Mystic during the July 4th floods have filed suit against the Texas Department of State Health Services, saying that the department should not have licensed the camp without a written evacuation plan per state law.

Eastland admitted that he had not seen social media warnings from the National Weather Service on July 2 and 3 which warned of potential flooding conditions. He also said that no meetings were held with staff to prepare for potential flooding. Eastland went on to acknowledge that warning campers and counselors about potential flooding was not standard procedure.

"It was not standard operating procedure to let campers and counselors know there might be a flood?" the Stewards' attorney asked.

"I don’t believe so, no," Eastland responded.

When asked whether the camp had a written evacuation plan that complied with Texas administrative code, Eastland said he could not find one.

"I have searched all of our files that I can—my dad’s office, that are muddy—and I cannot find it, no," he testified.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Another lawsuit filed by family of Camp Mystic victim

One of the victims of the Camp Mystic flooding expressed her fear of being swept away just two months before the flood hit.

Pressed further on whether he wished he had such a plan that could have been shared with staff and counselors, Edward had a stark response:

"I wish we had never had camp that summer."

"This is the same director of Camp Mystic that is asking 850 students to come join him at Cypress Lake in 6 weeks," said Cici Steward after the hearing came to a close on Monday. I believe now is the time for the State of Texas to step in. Deny the license for Camp Mystic."

Cici’s plea comes as Camp Mystic plans to reopen in less than two months. The camp has applied with state regulators to renew its license so its Cypress Lake campus can reopen.

More witnesses will take to the stand on Tuesday, with the hearing expected to last two more days.