AUSTIN (KXAN) — The father of Camp Mystic counselor Chloe Childress, 18, who was killed during the July 4 floods, said the families of the 27 victims were “not consulted” and “do not approve” of the camp’s decision to partially reopen next summer, especially with one young camper still missing.
‘We do not approve’
“We had no communication about the reopening, no discussions about the reopening, no discussions about a memorial whether we were in favor of that and or what that might look like,” said Matthew Childress. “The short message is: We were not consulted and we do not approve.”
Childress made the remarks in Austin Friday at a panel discussion with other journalists hosted by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and moderated by KXAN Director of Investigations and Innovation Josh Hinkle. The topic: “Hill Country Floods: Demanding Transparency, Accountability, Reform.”
Camp Mystic is an all girls’ Christian summer camp located along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. It is a low-lying region referred to as “Flash Flood Alley.”
The families were told of the plan two hours before the rest of Camp Mystic’s alumni and campers were notified, Childress said.
He said he was “caught off guard” by the announcement.
“It’s been tough,” he said. “It has been retraumatizing for the families — myself included.”
Camp Mystic decision ‘informed by our faith’
In a statement, Camp Mystic defended its decision to reopen Camp Mystic Cypress Lake next summer.
Camp officials said it is “a separate property that is not adjacent to the Guadalupe River and sustained no damage from the historic flood on July 4.”
“Our decision to partially reopen areas of the camp is informed by our faith and our commitment to continue the nearly century-long mission and ministry of Camp Mystic to provide a Christian camping experience for girls that allows them to grow physically, mentally and spiritually,” the camp said in an emailed response to KXAN.
“We have attempted to be respectful of the privacy and sensitivities of the grieving families in our communications,” the camp said.
“Some families have requested that we not contact them, and others have retained legal counsel which prevents us from communicating with them directly. We have responded to every bereaved family member who has reached out to us about the tragic events of July 4 and will continue to do so,” camp officials added.
Childress called the overall response to the flooding a “layer upon layer upon layer upon layer” of failures.
Reports of the camp’s reopening were made public less than three months after the catastrophic floods and less than three weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a slate of flood and camp safety measures into law.
Camp Mystic said it is working with engineers and experts to “comply with all elements of the recently passed camp safety legislation.”
“I want to make sure that I’m very clear Camp Mystic should not be reopening unless they meet those requirements, all requirements that have been specified, and they find Cile Steward. Cile Steward is one of the Heaven’s 27 children that is still missing,” Childress said.
“Camp Mystic is planning to reopen with the body of one of these girls in the waters outside their camp,” he added. “I’ll let you form your own opinions on what that means to you.”
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