Texas Board of Nursing has suspended the nursing license of Mary Liz Eastland, accusing her of failing to assist children and staff during the catastrophic floods that devastated Camp Mystic last year.
The emergency order, signed by Texas Board of Nursing Executive Director Kristin Benton, stated that Eastland’s actions during the July 4 flooding posed a “continuing and imminent threat to public welfare.”
Camp Mystic, a longtime Christian girls’ summer camp in Hunt, suffered a tragic disaster when severe flooding along the Guadalupe River killed 25 girls and two teenage counselors. Eastland’s father-in-law, camp owner Richard Eastland, also died during the flooding.
According to the board’s findings, Eastland abandoned campers and staff by evacuating herself and her children to higher ground without providing instructions or assistance to others trapped in the camp’s low-lying areas.
Court testimony previously revealed that Eastland, who served as the camp’s medical officer, never attempted to contact or warn staff and campers closest to the rising floodwaters as conditions rapidly worsened before dawn.
The suspension marks one of the first major state actions taken against members of the Eastland family since the deadly flood disaster.
Eastland’s attorney, Joshua Fiveson, criticized the board’s decision, calling it “premature punishment.” He argued the nursing board acted with less than 24 hours’ notice before the hearing and without a complete investigation or testimony process.
“This is a sad day for Mrs. Eastland as well as every licensed nurse in Texas,” Fiveson said.
The board is expected to issue a final ruling on Eastland’s nursing license within the next two months.
The Eastland family has faced mounting criticism from victims’ families and Texas lawmakers in the months following the disaster. Several lawsuits have been filed against the camp’s ownership, while Camp Mystic recently canceled plans to reopen this summer amid public outrage.
Legislative hearings held in April highlighted serious concerns about the camp’s emergency preparedness, including limited flood evacuation planning, poorly trained staff and missed opportunities to move campers away from danger before the river overflowed.
During testimony, Eastland described how she escaped floodwaters with her children after water entered their home and shattered a window. She later joined other staff members in conducting survivor head counts but said the floodwaters prevented access to cabins closest to the river.
When questioned about why she did not alert additional medical personnel or evacuation staff before the situation escalated, Eastland acknowledged that more assistance “maybe” could have helped.
