“To advertise reopening lower than three months after the tragedy — whereas one camper stays lacking — is unthinkable.”
KERR COUNTY, Texas — The household of 8-year-old Cile Steward shared a letter they despatched to Camp Mystic after the summer time camp introduced plans to reopen just a few months after 27 younger campers and counselors died throughout the catastrophic Texas Hill Nation flooding.
Cile is the one little one whose physique hasn’t been recovered.
“To advertise reopening lower than three months after the tragedy — whereas one camper stays lacking — is unthinkable,” the letter learn. “Worse nonetheless, you’re getting ready to ask kids to swim within the very river which will nonetheless maintain our daughter’s physique.”
The Steward household referred to as out Camp Mystic and stated they needed the camp to halt plans to reopen and create a memorial for the victims till their kid’s physique is discovered.
“Our daughters and family members died beneath Camp Mystic’s supervision and care. One little one — our little one, 8-year-old Cile Steward — stays lacking. Restoration groups are nonetheless on the market each day, scouring the river — your yard — risking their very own security to deliver her house to us. But, as an alternative of recognizing or highlighting that effort, you haven’t as soon as talked about her identify or the truth that she continues to be lacking,” the letter learn.
In a letter despatched to folks earlier this week, Camp Mystic officers introduced plans to reopen the Camp Mystic Cypress Lake website, which is close to the Guadalupe camp. Camp officers additionally stated they’re planning to construct a memorial devoted to the victims.
RELATED: Camp Mystic publicizes plans to reopen subsequent summer time in letter despatched to households
The letter despatched by Steward’s household additionally claimed that some households had been left off the distribution checklist.
“On Monday, you despatched one message to the Heaven’s 27 households — leaving some households inexplicably off the distribution checklist — framing it as a chance for privateness and reflection. Then, simply two hours later, you despatched a really totally different e-mail to the broader camp neighborhood, once more excluding most of our households,” the letter learn.
Learn the total letter despatched by the Steward household:
“To the Management of Camp Mystic,
“We, and different households of the youngsters whose lives had been misplaced at Camp Mystic on July 4th, are devastated not solely by the catastrophic occasions and conduct that claimed 27 women’ lives but additionally by your latest communications relating to reopening and a proposed memorial—introduced with out prior session or consent from the affected households.
“Our daughters and family members died beneath Camp Mystic’s supervision and care. One little one — our little one, 8-year-old Cile Steward — stays lacking. Restoration groups are nonetheless on the market each day, scouring the river — your yard — risking their very own security to deliver her house to us. But, as an alternative of recognizing or highlighting that effort, you haven’t as soon as talked about her identify or the truth that she continues to be lacking. Not in any formal communications with the affected households, to not the broader neighborhood, and never even to our household. The one acknowledgment we have now ever obtained was your brisk cellphone name on the morning of July 4th, whenever you knowledgeable us that Cile was merely “unaccounted for.” In the meantime, in considered one of Monday’s emails, you declared: “The guts of Camp Mystic has by no means stopped beating.” Have you ever thought of that, for many people, Camp Mystic’s coronary heart stopped beating the second these 27 women took their final breath?
“On Monday, you despatched one message to the Heaven’s 27 households — leaving some households inexplicably off the distribution checklist — framing it as a chance for privateness and reflection. Then, simply two hours later, you despatched a really totally different e-mail to the broader camp neighborhood, once more excluding most of our households.
“To advertise reopening lower than three months after the tragedy — whereas one camper stays lacking — is unthinkable. Our households stay trapped within the deepest throes of grief, but your communications deal with our unending nightmare as little greater than a short pause earlier than resuming enterprise as regular. Worse nonetheless, you’re getting ready to ask kids to swim within the very river which will nonetheless maintain our daughter’s physique whenever you plan to “open your gates.” Had you paused to mirror—or just consulted with any considered one of our households — you might need spared grieving households the extra anguish your selections now trigger. As a substitute, your communications have solely intensified our grief.
“We name on Camp Mystic to halt all dialogue of reopening and memorials. As a substitute, Cile should be recovered, and you should absolutely confront and account on your position within the occasions and failures that precipitated the deaths of our daughters. Something much less dishonors the youngsters who had been killed whereas in your care — at a time when their security was your major duty.
“Till then, our precedence stays honoring the 27 lives misplaced and defending future generations of campers. We are going to proceed to advocate for reforms and demand full accountability.
“Sincerely, CiCi and Will Steward
“On behalf of ourselves and different households of the Heaven’s 27”
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