The head nurse at Camp Mystic in Texas has had her nursing license suspended following a tragic flooding incident last summer that resulted in the deaths of 25 young girls. The nurse, Mary Liz Eastland, admitted to abandoning her responsibilities during the catastrophe.
In a decision made by the Texas Board of Nursing last week, it was determined that Eastland, whose family owns the prestigious camp, posed a “continuing and imminent threat to the public welfare” if she continued to practice nursing. This decision came after the board reviewed the details of her actions during the disaster, as reported by Houston Public Media.
Eastland faced accusations of neglecting her duties as the chief health officer when floodwaters from the Guadalupe River inundated the camp on July 4. The tragic event claimed a total of 28 lives, including 25 children, two teenage counselors, and Eastland’s father-in-law, the camp’s director, Dick Eastland.
During the chaos, numerous children were stranded in their cabins or swept away by the powerful floodwaters, highlighting the severity of the situation they faced.
The suspension of Eastland’s license followed her admission during a recent court hearing, where she acknowledged abandoning the campers who were in dire need of her assistance.
The nursing board also criticized Eastland for failing to implement adequate emergency plans and protocols that could have mitigated the impact of such a disaster.
In addition, she did not report the 27 deaths to state health authorities within a 24 hour-window as required — an intentionally “deceptive” move meant to accountability, the board said.
Eastland stands to lose her nursing license forever, pending a final hearing.
“This is a sad day for Mrs. Eastland as well as every licensed nurse in Texas,” Camp Mystic said in a statement, according to People magazine.
The camp’s lawyer, Joshua Fiveson, added to NBC, “Eastland rejects the findings and will fight the suspension.”
Eastland and her family — who own and operate the camp — found themselves grilled by a judge in April after they tried to re-open the camp this summer.
Wrongful-death lawsuits have been filed against the camp by families of those killed, including 8-year-old Cecilia “Cile” Steward.
Camp Director Edward Eastland sobbed on the stand during one hearing, revealing he has no idea what happened to still-missing camper Cile.
Under grilling by the family’s lawyer, Brad Beckworth, Eastland admitted that the camp botched simple measures that could have saved lives that day, such as failing to use the loudspeaker to evacuate the grounds and not meeting ahead of time with staffers to discuss the coming storm.
