Texas Nurse's License Suspended After Abandoning Children During Deadly Flooding
Mary Liz Eastland, the head nurse at Camp Mystic in Texas, has had her nursing license suspended following her admission of abandoning children during a catastrophic flooding event last summer. The Texas Board of Nursing determined that Eastland, whose family owns the camp, poses a 'continuing and imminent threat to the public welfare' if allowed to continue practicing. The flooding, which occurred on July 4, resulted in the deaths of 28 individuals, including 25 children, two teen counselors, and Eastland's father-in-law, the camp director. Eastland's suspension follows her admission in court that she left campers in need of assistance. The board also cited her failure to implement adequate emergency protocols and her delay in reporting the deaths to state health authorities as reasons for the suspension. Eastland faces the possibility of losing her nursing license permanently, pending a final hearing.