A Tragedy in the Texas Hill Country

A series of legal, regulatory, and legislative developments have followed the July 4 flooding that resulted in 27 deaths at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas. The camp has withdrawn its application to reopen, while multiple investigations and lawsuits continue.

The Flood Incident

On July 4, heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to flood the historic Central Texas camp. The flood killed 25 campers, two teenage counselors, and the camp's co-owner and executive director, Richard "Dick" Eastland. The overall flooding event in the region killed at least 136 people.

Camp Operations and Response

Warning and Evacuation Timeline

According to testimony from Edward Eastland, director of the camp at the time of the incident, the National Weather Service and Texas Division of Emergency Management issued flood-related alerts on July 2 and 3. Eastland testified he did not see these official warnings. He stated he relied on the local "CodeRED" mobile alert system and weather apps, which he believed were sufficient.

Staff were signed up for phone emergency alert systems. Eastland testified that a National Weather Service flash flood warning was issued at 1:14 a.m. on July 4, and a CodeRED alert text was sent around the same time; he stated he slept through both.

Richard Eastland called his son on a walkie-talkie shortly before 2 a.m. regarding rain and moving equipment, but they did not evacuate cabins at that time. The decision to evacuate cabins was made around 3 a.m. by Richard Eastland. Eastland testified that by the time evacuation began, water levels were high and moving rapidly, creating rapids around cabins.

Emergency Planning

Testimony from Edward Eastland and legislative investigator Casey Garrett indicated the camp lacked a detailed written flood evacuation plan. Garrett stated that counselors and campers received no emergency training or drills for flood threats. The camp's emergency plan consisted of a one-paragraph directive for campers to stay in cabins unless told otherwise.

According to investigative testimony, most victims were under 10 years old. Counselors in the hardest-hit cabins were among the youngest and most inexperienced. Some counselors took ad-hoc actions, including pushing girls through windows to higher ground.

"The fate of those girls was set before any first drop of rain ever fell."
— Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)

Licensing and Regulatory Actions

License Application and Deficiencies

Camp Mystic submitted an application to renew its state license to operate at a separate property, Cypress Lake, which the camp described as independent from the flood-affected Guadalupe River area. The camp stated over 850 girls had registered to attend.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued an emergency plan deficiency letter, identifying multiple issues including:

• Lack of a floodplain location map showing camper cabin locations
• Insufficient emergency preparedness coordinator designation
• Inadequate fire evacuation and natural disaster plans
• Insufficient emergency warning system
• Unclear staff responsibilities and protocols during emergencies
• Lack of clear coordination with local authorities and parent notification procedures

The camp was given 45 days to make corrections and resubmit its plans.

Withdrawal of Application

Camp Mystic announced it had withdrawn its application for an operating license. In a statement, the camp said:

"No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July's tragedy."

Bankruptcy Filing

Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, declaring debt exceeding $10 million in a federal bankruptcy filing in Houston.

Legal Proceedings

Injunction and Evidence Preservation

District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble issued a temporary injunction ordering Camp Mystic to preserve and not alter or demolish the cabins where campers were housed during the flood. The order requires the old Guadalupe grounds, including the commissary, rec hall, and main office, to be sealed off. Construction may proceed in areas outside these designated grounds.

The injunction was granted in response to a lawsuit filed by Will and Cici Steward, parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward, a camper who died in the flood and whose body has not been recovered. The ruling will remain in effect while the lawsuit is pending.

Lawsuits

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Camp Mystic and its operators:

• Families of nine flood victims filed a federal lawsuit against DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford and other DSHS officials, alleging the state failed to enforce requirements for evacuation plans.
• Families of five campers and two counselors filed a lawsuit in Travis County seeking damages exceeding $1 million, alleging negligence.
• The Steward family filed a lawsuit seeking to preserve evidence at the camp site.

Attorneys for the families stated the lawsuits seek to determine accountability and prevent future tragedies. Paul Yetter, attorney for multiple victim families, said:

"Bankruptcy will not stop all responsible parties from being held accountable. These innocent girls deserve justice."

Testimony from Edward Eastland

During court proceedings, Edward Eastland acknowledged the camp did not have a detailed written flood evacuation plan. He said staff did not use campus loudspeakers earlier in the storm to instruct people to move to higher ground. He testified that more campers would have survived if he, his father, and a camp safety director had made quicker evacuation decisions.

"I wish we never had camp that summer."
— Edward Eastland

He stated that lives could have been saved if staff had acted sooner but insisted they could not have anticipated the storm's severity. He described trying to grab girls in a cabin doorway before being washed away and eventually being pushed into a tree.

A signed statement from a counselor described waking during the storm, seeing girls running for shelter, and water rising rapidly. The statement said Edward Eastland eventually told her it was too late to leave the cabin.

Legislative and Official Actions

State Officials

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick urged the Department of State Health Services to delay or deny renewal of Camp Mystic's operating license pending investigations. Patrick stated that special legislative committees convened this spring to gather further information.

State Representative Wes Virdell, whose district includes Camp Mystic, publicly challenged Patrick's letter, suggesting the recent bill increasing safety requirements for camps was intended to close Camp Mystic.

Investigations

• The Texas Rangers are assisting in an investigation into allegations of neglect, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
• Texas health regulators are investigating hundreds of complaints filed against the camp owners.

Investigator Casey Garrett, commissioned by the Texas Legislature, testified before a joint House and Senate hearing. Garrett stated that the loss of life was preventable.

Legislative Changes

New state laws enacted last year now mandate specific evacuation destinations, posted evacuation routes within cabins, and illuminated routes at night. DSHS is also planning an increase in camp licensing fees. Families who lost children advocated for these reforms.

Statements from Families

Cici Steward, mother of the missing camper, stated that the state should deny the camp's license:

"It is so clear they are incapable of keeping children safe."

Ryan DeWitt, whose daughter Molly DeWitt was among the victims, issued a statement indicating the lawsuit represents a step toward finding peace for his family.

Matthew Childress, whose daughter Chloe died, stated a commitment to remembrance and accountability.

"These innocent girls deserve justice."
— Paul Yetter, attorney for multiple victim families