Camp Mystic parents sue state, accusing Texas officials of not enforcing evacuation plan requirement
Families accuse Texas health officials of licensing Camp Mystic without evacuation plans, contributing to 27 deaths in July 2025 flood, while the camp plans to reopen this summer.
- On Monday, the families of nine Hill Country flooding victims filed a federal lawsuit seeking damages, alleging Texas Department of State Health Services licensed Camp Mystic without an evacuation plan.
- Camp Mystic's emergency instructions told campers to stay in cabins during floods, while Texas law requires licensed youth camps to have evacuation plans, but DSHS checked plans without enforcing evacuation.
- In the early morning July 4 flood, the Guadalupe River surged into the camp, killing 27 girls and counselors; staff evacuated five of 11 cabins in the flats, and Dick Eastland, Camp Owner and Executive Director, died trying to evacuate one cabin.
- They are suing six DSHS officials including Commissioner Jennifer Shuford, DSHS declined to comment on pending litigation, and the camp's license remains valid until March 6.
- Two new state laws passed last year require camps to specify evacuation destinations, post routes in cabins, and ensure lighting, while families' attorney Paul Yetter said DSHS officials 'deliberately looked the other way' and the agency planned to raise camp licensing fees.
54 Articles
54 Articles
Patrick Calls for Denial of Camp Mystic License Renewal
The families of nine of the victims from last year’s catastrophic July 4th flooding in Kerr County have filed a new lawsuit in federal court this week. The families are suing six officials with the Department of State Health Services, including Commissioner Jennifer Shuford, several people who oversee the youth camp program, and the agency’s camp mystic inspector. The suit accuses state officials of failing to follow the law when they licensed C…
Camp Mystic families sue Texas officials over evacuation plan enforcement – Democratic Accent
Families of nine girls killed in the July 4, 2025, flash flood at Camp Mystic have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against six Texas health officials, alleging regulators failed to enforce mandatory evacuation plan requirements for licensed youth camps. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division on Monday, names current and former officials with the Texas Department of State Health Servi…
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