Parents Fight Camp Over Missing Daughter

Cecilia "Cile" Steward's parents are seeking justice a year after she was lost in the devastating Camp Mystic flood. The 8-year-old was among 27 children and counselors who perished when the Guadalupe River overflowed its banks on July 4, but Cile's body has never been recovered. Her mother writes her daily letters, while her father follows the search efforts with diminishing hope.

The Stewards have filed a lawsuit against the Eastland family, who operated the camp for decades. Their lawyer asserts the camp was in a flood plain with a history of flooding, yet had minimal evacuation plans and disregarded National Weather Service alerts. The suit alleges it was too late to evacuate when attempts were made.

In response, the Eastlands' lawyer stated they would prove the flood surge was unexpected and unforeseeable. Meanwhile, the Stewards are distraught that the Eastland family is reportedly preparing to reopen the camp, calling it an "active crime scene" while their daughter remains missing. They emphasize that the leadership remains the same.

Jenna Bush Hager, a friend of the Stewards, interviewed them for "TODAY." The parents read a statement expressing their shattered hearts but their resolve to fight so Cile and the other victims' lives were not lost in vain. Bush Hager noted her own mother, former first lady Laura Bush, had been a counselor at the camp, highlighting its long history.