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3h ago

Families Sue Camp Mystic Over Deadly July 4 Flood Alleging Gross Negligence

Two lawsuits from families of eight victims were filed in Travis County against the camp, naming the Eastland estate.

A view of Camp Mystic, the site of where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. Rescuers were on Saturday searching for more than 20 girls missing from a riverside summer camp in the US state of Texas, after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed at least 27 people -- with more rain on the way. "So far, we've evacuated over 850 uninjured people, eight injured people and have recovered 27 deceased fatalities at this time. Of these 27, 18 are adults, nine are children," said Kerr Country Sheriff Larry Leitha on July 5. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP) (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - This aerial photo shows damage to Camp Mystic from flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
FILE - An officer prays with a family as they pick up items at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
Parents of Camp Mystic girls who died during the Guadalupe River flooding on July 4, 2025 pack seats in the Senate chamber to view passage of Senate Bill 1. which strengthened summer camp regulations to help prevent future tragedies.

Overview

  • One joint suit covers five campers and two counselors, and a separate filing by Eloise “Lulu” Peck’s family brings the total to eight victims represented.
  • The petitions allege the camp lacked required evacuation plans, told girls to remain in riverside cabins, and directed staff to move equipment as floodwaters rose.
  • Defendants include Camp Mystic, affiliated entities, and members or the estate of co-owner Richard Eastland, with plaintiffs seeking a jury trial and more than $1 million in damages.
  • Camp attorney Mikal Watts has defended the response, citing a timeline of warnings, shelter-in-place decisions, limited cell coverage, and the evacuation of 166 girls.
  • The catastrophe killed 27 at the camp during a region-wide flood that claimed at least 136 lives, and it has already prompted new Texas youth-camp safety laws and a planned partial reopening of an uphill section.