Texas camp to reopen after deadly floods; parents angered

The operators of Camp Mystic on Friday confirmed to KSAT-TV that it would reopen its Cypress Lake location next summer. The property is down the road from the camp’s Guadalupe River property where 27 campers and counselors died nearly three months ago. A devastating flood in the early hours of July 4 ripped through several cabins there. The Christian girls’ camp’s owner, Dick Eastland, also died during the tragedy. In a letter sent to parents last week, Eastland’s family said the Cypress Lake location would be open for the 100th anniversary of the camp’s founding next summer and that they were evaluating plans to rebuild the camp along the Guadalupe River. The owners also said they would be designing and building a memorial dedicated to the girls killed in the flood, known as Heaven’s 27.

How did parents respond? In a letter addressed to camp leadership, CiCi and Will Steward said none of the victims’ families had been consulted about the reopening plan or the memorial before the camp notified its community. The Stewards’ daughter, 8-year-old Cile, is the only victim from the camp whose body remains missing. They called on the camp to prioritize finding Cile, and to take responsibility for its role in the deaths, before resuming discussions about reopening or building a memorial. Matthew Childress, whose daughter Chloe Childress was one of two counselors killed in the flood, spoke Friday at a panel hosted by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. He said the camp’s announcement retraumatized many of the grieving families. Meanwhile, camp leaders responded to KXAN-TV, defending their decision and saying it adhered to their commitment to provide a Christian camp experience for young girls to grow.

Has any legislation been passed after the tragedy? Texas Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this month signed into law the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act. The bill prohibits anyone from sleeping in camp cabins located within 100-year flood plains, and requires all camps to evacuate campers to higher ground as soon as officials issue a flash flood warning. All summer camps will also be required to file emergency response plans with the state. The camps also must maintain operational weather alert radios and public address systems, and must train staff and campers on evacuation procedures. Meanwhile, the state plans to install warning sirens along the Guadalupe River before next summer. 

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in WORLD Magazine about the response to the devastating flooding.