Families File Suit Against Camp Mystic Following Deadly Flooding Incident

Tue Nov 11 2025 06:30:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The families of victims from the Camp Mystic flood tragedy are suing the camp for negligence, alleging failure to protect campers during life-threatening conditions.

In a lawsuit filed in Austin, Texas, families affected by the Camp Mystic flooding on July 4 allege that camp operators prioritized profit over safety, failing to evacuate campers despite severe flooding warnings. Twenty-five girls and two counselors were killed in the disaster. The lawsuit seeks over $1 million in damages, coinciding with growing concerns over the camp's plans to reopen next summer. The allegations include neglecting to create an evacuation plan and forcing campers to remain in dangerous cabins.

The operators of Camp Mystic in Texas, where 25 girls and two teenage counselors tragically lost their lives during destructive flooding on July 4, are facing a lawsuit filed by families of the victims. The lawsuit alleges that necessary precautions were not taken to safeguard the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached.

Filed in state court in Austin, the suit is seeking damages in excess of $1 million but does not specify an exact amount. It comes amid renewed outrage from families concerning plans to reopen the 100-year-old camp next summer.

Among the claims in the lawsuit is that a groundskeeper was ordered to spend over an hour evacuating equipment, while girls and counselors were instructed to stay in cabins nearest the Guadalupe River, despite rapidly rising floodwaters.

These young girls died because a for-profit camp put profit over safety, the suit states. It notes that the camp housed girls in flood-prone cabins, avoiding the costs of relocating them while ignoring the safety risks involved.

The lawsuit includes allegations that the camp’s operators failed to develop and implement evacuation plans that are required by state regulations. Instead of evacuating, campers and counselors were reportedly instructed to remain in their cabins as per camp policy.

Defendants named in the lawsuit include Camp Mystic, affiliated entities, and its owners, including the estate of the late camp owner Richard Eastland, who also perished in the flooding.

A similar lawsuit was filed concurrently by the family of Eloise Peck, another camper who died in the flooding, both lawsuits lodged in Travis County.

The controversy surrounding the camp escalated when flash floods wreaked havoc, killing at least 136 people overall, prompting scrutiny of state emergency response and local officiate preparedness. Many authorities were reportedly asleep or away during the disaster. The head of Camp Mystic was monitoring weather conditions in advance, but there is uncertainty whether he received urgent warnings from the National Weather Service that would have triggered emergency protocols.

Ryan DeWitt, whose daughter Molly was among those killed, expressed hope that the lawsuit would instigate necessary safety reforms to prevent future tragedies. We trust that through this process, light will be shed on what happened, and our hope is that justice will pave the way for prevention and much-needed safety reform, he stated.

In light of the admissions and the emotional testimonies from parents of the victims, recent legislation has aimed to implement measures to avert such disasters in the future.