As the anniversary of the tragic flood at Camp Mystic approaches, the distraught parents of an 8-year-old girl who died in the incident have shared a poignant message. Will and Cici Steward reflected on their loss, stating, “This Fourth of July marks one year since our daughter Cirie passed away in the Camp Mystic flood.” They conveyed this through a message shared with KVUE Austin.
A year has passed since the floodwaters from the Guadalupe River in Kerr County swept through the cabin where many girls were sleeping at the now-defunct camp, yet Cirie’s body is still missing.
“We’re uncertain about what the day will bring, but we know we won’t be alone,” the Stewards expressed.
The family that owns Camp Mystic, the Eastlands, was not directly referenced in their message, but both the Stewards and other parents have accused them of negligence during the disaster, suggesting that campers were left unprotected.
In a Travis County courtroom this past April, Camp Director Edward Eastland broke down in tears as a judge ruled against allowing the camp to reopen for summer, even after about 900 campers had registered. Additionally, Liz Eastland, the head nurse, had her nursing license revoked after admitting in court that she abandoned the children during the emergency.
Following the tragedy, the Texas State Board of Health denied a permit for the camp’s operation, compelling the Eastlands to file for bankruptcy, which hasn’t satisfied the grieving parents.
Matthew Childress, who lost his daughter Chloe, 18, while she was a counselor there, recounted a conversation with his wife, saying, “I hope this never ends.” His sentiment captures the ongoing anguish many are experiencing after the disaster.
Childress is also involved with the Safe Summers Foundation, which was established to urge reform for camp safety following the flood. New state laws requiring improved disaster preparation and training have been enacted in Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
In Alabama, the law is named in memory of Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old who was a victim alongside 13 other girls and two counselors. Her father recounted the harrowing experience of identifying her body: “It was the worst moment of the worst day of my life.”
As for the Stewards, they remain committed to seeking justice and advocating for reform. They concluded their message with words of patriotism, saying, “On this Independence Day, you are living proof of what our country stands for and what it means to be a Texan.”
“Our gratitude and admiration is as deep and abiding as our love for Cirie.”
