Six months on, a Texas family is still grappling with heartbreak after their 8-year-old daughter was one of 27 victims lost in the devastating Camp Mystic floods. Tragically, her body has not been recovered.
Cecilia “Syle” Steward was among 25 campers and two counselors who perished when floodwaters surged through the all-girls Christian camp in Kerr County, Texas, last July.
Her parents closely follow the investigation by local authorities but are slowly losing hope of ever bringing their daughter’s remains home.
“I have this sinking feeling that they will never find her,” shared Will Steward, Syle’s father, during a conversation with family friend Jenna Bush Hager.
Out of the 135 individuals who lost their lives during the flash floods on July 4, 2025, only Syle and a 63-year-old man are still missing.
Last week, the Stewards filed a lawsuit against the Eastland family, long-time operators of the camp.
The camp, situated in a floodplain and prone to flooding, reportedly had inadequate emergency evacuation procedures and had ignored numerous flood warnings from the National Weather Service, according to the suit.
Attorney Brad Beckworth, representing the Stewards, accused the Eastlands of being “completely unprepared.”
The lawsuit claims that Richard “Dick” Eastland and his son Edward delayed evacuating campers by more than an hour, despite the impending danger.
“It’s utter chaos,” Beckworth explained, reflecting on the panic evident during the flood. “When I talk to my counselor, I hear screams. No one knows what to do.”
Notably, an Eastland counselor lost their life while attempting to rescue campers.
While the Eastlands face intense scrutiny, the review board, which is pursuing over $1 million in damages, argued that the camp’s counselors and first responders who managed to save many of the 750 campers deserve recognition.
“Camp Mystic has its heroes, but none are named Eastland,” CiCi Steward remarked.
In a statement regarding the lawsuit, Eastland’s attorney, Mikal Watts, maintained that the sudden flood was unprecedented and unexpected, asserting that there was no adequate warning system in effect.
In December, Camp Mystic announced plans to resume operations on a new site near Cypress Lake for the 2026 season, claiming it was unaffected by flooding.
“We understand that returning to Camp Mystic carries both hope and heartache,” the owners expressed in a letter to families.
While the number of returning campers is uncertain, interest has reportedly been strong, as per previous reports.
The Cypress Lake campground is located less than a mile from the tragic Guadalupe site, and there’s palpable anger from jurors about the Eastlands reopening the camp while Syle remains missing.
“This is a crime scene,” CiCi Steward emphasized. “I don’t think anyone in their right mind would send their child back to a crime scene.”
Will Steward reflected on his wife’s perspective, voicing his concerns, “We’re not against our children going to camp. We’re opposed to the Eastlands’ audacity in asking for deposits when our child, one of the campers they claimed to care about, is still unaccounted for.”
Beckworth agreed, asserting that the reopening felt hastily executed without a full understanding of that tragic day.
“As a parent, I can assure you that my kids will never return to a camp run by this family,” Beckworth asserted firmly.
