INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Children’s Mercy East is temporarily closed until Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Hospital staff are addressing water-related damage that happened in last week’s cold weather.

A hospital employee told FOX4 the water damage came from a burst water pipe. Hospital public relations staff wouldn’t comment on exactly what was damaged or how it might affect patent care.

This temporary closure comes at a time when we’re seeing a lot of sick kids. Many parents who were unaware of this move showed up on Wednesday seeking care for their sick children.

‘I was shocked,” Anthony Dameron said. “Kids get sick all the time, so I’m really shocked they are closed.”

Children’s Mercy East appears to have employees on duty, but patients are being turned away. A large white sign sits near the hospital entry advising patients of the closure until next Tuesday.

“There’s other places to go, but it would have been nice to be able to come here,” Davaunte Castorena, a parent with a sick child, said,

The closest hospital and emergency room is Centerpoint Medical Center, which is about a mile and a half away.

A spokesperson for HCA Healthcare said that hospital’s pediatrics department isn’t seeing an uptick in demand yet.

“I saw the sign. It said there were no emergency services. I thought that was strange, so we’re going to go on down the road,:” Clint Ream, another parent, said.

Children’s Mercy’s Blue Valley and Northland locations are open as scheduled. Same day appointments were still available on Wednesday, according to the hospital’s website. Those locations will operate under their normal hours — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.