On the fateful night of July 4, catastrophic flooding overwhelmed Camp Mystic, leading to the tragic deaths of six young girls and 21 others, including counselors. Families of the victims have now filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the camp leadership of gross negligence and failure to act on severe weather warnings, which could have potentially saved lives. The legal action, filed in Travis County District Court, outlines a timeline of events that led to the disaster, highlighting the camp’s critical missteps during an emergency.
The lawsuit alleges that despite receiving warnings from the National Weather Service, including a Flood Watch and Flood Advisory, Camp Mystic did not implement the necessary evacuation procedures. Instead, the camp leaders met with grounds staff to secure equipment, failing to awaken the campers and guide them to safer ground. According to the filing, counselors were instructed to ‘shelter in place’ and were not permitted to use communication devices such as phones, radios, or walkie-talkies, which left them unable to coordinate an effective response to the rising waters.
Photos taken at 3:26 a.m. show campers still able to walk toward higher ground, but by 3:44 a.m., the situation had escalated dramatically, with doors breaking open as floodwaters rushed in. The families assert that despite nearby safe options, such as a hillside just 20 yards away from some cabins and a two-story commissary with exterior stairs, the youngest girls were left in low-lying areas. An Apple Watch data recorded that leaders, including Dick Eastland, were submerged at 3:51 a.m., and emergency calls were placed at 3:59 a.m. as the tragedy unfolded.
The filing includes a critical ‘Emergency Instructions’ sheet that advised campers to stay inside during floods, asserting that all cabins were on high, safe ground. The families have described this guidance as ‘false and dangerous,’ citing it as a glaring example of the camp’s failure to prioritize the safety of its children. The lawsuit also points to FEMA-mapped flood hazard areas along the Guadalupe River, highlighting that the site was designated a Special Flood Hazard Area as early as 2011, with historical evidence of major floods dating back to 1932 and 1952.
Camp Mystic has responded to the lawsuit, stating that they are ‘continuing to pray for the grieving families’ and emphasizing that they will ‘thoroughly respond to these accusations in due course.’ Legal counsel for the camp, Jeff Ray, has denied several claims, arguing that the floodwaters exceeded any previous levels and that the camp’s actions were not as alleged. The camp’s statement reflects an attempt to shift blame away from its leadership, even as families seek justice for the lives lost.
The incident has sparked intense public scrutiny regarding the safety and preparedness of recreational camps, especially in flood-prone areas. The families’ allegations raise critical questions about the responsibility of camp operators to ensure the safety of children and the importance of robust emergency communication systems. The legal proceedings are expected to delve deeper into the operational decisions made during the flood and the potential consequences of those choices, with the hope of finding closure for the grieving families and setting a precedent for improved safety standards in the future.