Heartbreaking Plea: Parents Demand Camp Mystic Stay Closed
The parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward, the last missing camper from the July 4 flash floods at Camp Mystic in Texas, are speaking out against the camp’s plans to reopen. Cile’s parents, CiCi and Will Steward, penned a heartfelt letter to camp leadership, expressing their anguish and disappointment over the decision to partially reopen the camp next summer. The Stewards argue that reopening the camp while recovery teams are still searching for their daughter’s body is “unthinkable”.
Lack of Communication and Accountability
The Stewards’ letter criticizes Camp Mystic’s leadership for their lack of communication and accountability in the aftermath of the tragedy. They claim that the camp’s communications have treated their grief as “little more than a brief pause before resuming business as usual.” The parents demand that the camp halt all discussions on reopening and memorials until Cile’s body is recovered and that camp leaders “fully confront and account” for their role in the events and failures that led to their daughter’s death.
A Call for Change
The Stewards’ plea comes after Camp Mystic announced plans to reopen part of the camp next year and build a memorial to the campers and counselors who died. In response, the camp stated that their decision to partially reopen is informed by their faith and commitment to providing a Christian camping experience for girls. However, the Stewards and other grieving families are calling for change, seeking to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about safety measures and accountability in youth camps.
