Families sue Camp Mystic over deadly Texas flood, allege negligence and profit motive

Families of 7 girls and campy counselors killed successful the July 4 Camp Mystic flood successful Hunt, Texas, person filed a wrongful decease and negligence lawsuit, alleging the camp’s owners ignored flood risks and authorities information rules to support profits.

The lawsuit, filed Nov. 10 successful Travis County District Court by lawyer R. Paul Yetter of Yetter Coleman LLP, names the families of Anna Margaret Bellows, Lila Bonner, Chloe Childress, Molly DeWitt, Katherine Ferruzzo, Lainey Landry and Blakely McCrory — each of whom died successful the catastrophic flooding.

The 75-page petition claims Camp Mystic and its owners "put nett implicit safety" and "chose to location young girls successful flood-prone areas to debar the outgo of relocating cabins." It besides accuses the campy of failing to make oregon travel an evacuation plan, contempt authorities regulations requiring one.

"Just specified a calamity deed our State connected July 4, 2025," the suit reads. "When 25 campers and 2 counselors needlessly and tragically died successful the floodwaters astatine Camp Mystic."

CAMP MYSTIC MAKES CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ABOUT FUTURE OF TEXAS CAMP WHERE 27 DIED IN FLOODING

Camp Mystic is shown successful Hunt, Texas connected Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)

Camp Mystic spans 725 acres on the Guadalupe River successful the Texas Hill Country, an country agelong known for deadly flash floods. The filing cites a 1990 interrogation with then-director Richard Eastland, who reportedly told the Austin-American Statesman, "I’m definite determination volition beryllium different drownings. People don’t heed the warnings."

According to the lawsuit, the campy ignored aggregate warnings — from upwind alerts, unit concerns, and its ain experience. Counselors allegedly pleaded to evacuate girls from low-lying cabins but were told to "stay enactment due to the fact that that’s the plan."

Aerial footage of Heart O’ the Hills successful Kerr County, Texas aft deadly flood. (Rep. Chip Roy via X)

TIMELINE DETAILED IN THE LAWSUIT:  

• 1:14 a.m. — National Weather Service issued a "life-threatening flash flood" warning.

• 1:45 a.m.–2:13 a.m. — Camp leaders Richard and Edward Eastland allegedly worked to determination instrumentality alternatively of ordering an evacuation.

• 2:20 a.m. — Counselors reported h2o entering cabins but were instructed to stay inside.

• 2:30–3:30 a.m. — Five cabins were evacuated to the Rec Hall; six others were near behind, including Nut Hut, Chatter Box, Wiggle Inn, Giggle Box, Twins, and Bubble Inn.

• 3:35–3:51 a.m. — Richard Eastland’s SUV was swept distant arsenic helium tried to rescue girls from Bubble Inn; each 13 campers and 2 counselors successful that compartment drowned.

• 3:35–4:09 a.m. — Eleven campers died successful Twins Cabin aft being told to enactment due to the fact that "the h2o would spell backmost down."

CAMP MYSTIC MAKES CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ABOUT FUTURE OF TEXAS CAMP WHERE 27 DIED IN FLOODING

A presumption wrong a compartment astatine Camp Mystic, the tract of wherever astatine slightest 20 girls went missing aft flash flooding successful Hunt, Texas, connected July 5, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)

The petition argues that the girls could person safely evacuated wrong 60 seconds to higher crushed if not ordered to stay successful their cabins.

Families impeach Camp Mystic of gross negligence, premises liability, and intentional infliction of affectional distress. The filing besides highlights a written argumentation stating: "In lawsuit of flood, each campers connected Senior Hill indispensable enactment successful their cabins... All cabins are constructed connected safe, precocious locations."

The suit besides alleges that campy administrators misled families aft the disaster, telling them the girls were simply "unaccounted for" hours aft the floodwaters receded.

A hunt and rescue unpaid holds a T-shirt and backpack with the words Camp Mystic connected them successful Comfort, Texas connected July 6, 2025.   (Danielle Villasana for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Adding to families’ anger, the suit cites the camp’s determination to denote its reopening for the adjacent summertime play portion 1 camper, Cile Steward, remained missing.

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The families are seeking much than $1 cardinal successful damages, including wrongful decease and exemplary damages, and person requested a assemblage trial.