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Families of campers, counselors who died in Texas Hill County floods sue Camp Mystic
The families of seven campers and two counselors at Camp Mystic who died during the July 4 Hill Country floods sued the camp Monday, alleging that its owners’ negligence resulted in a “self-created disaster” that led to the fatalities.
Twenty-five campers and two counselors were among the more than 130 people that died in this summer’s flash flooding near Kerrville along the Guadalupe River.
Monday’s legal action takes the form of three separate suits, all filed in Travis County district court. Each seeks more than $1 million in damages. The petitions name members of the Eastland family, the owners of Camp Mystic, as defendants, as well as the estate of Richard “Dick” Eastland, who perished trying to save campers during the disaster.
The suit filed by the parents of five of the girls at the Christian all-girls camp argues that officials there “focused on profits over safety” and made “catastrophic decisions” about where to locate its cabins. The petition further alleges the camp implemented flawed flood-response precautions.
In comments to the Tribune, legal representatives for Camp Mystic said they plan to show that there was no warning system adequate to save the lives of those who perished in the fast-rising floodwaters.
San Antonio attorney Mikal Watts, who represents Camp Mystic, told the news outlet that camp officials have empathy for the grieving parents but added that some statements in the suits are “categorically false.”
“[Camp Mystic] spent those three hours heroically saving 163 girls before what occurred,” Watts said.
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Camp Mystic leaders would be invited to testify before the committees, as part of what Speaker Dustin Burrows said would be a ‘comprehensive and thorough review.’
Officials said in an email to families that its Cypress Lake campus would reopen and that they are evaluating plans to rebuild its Guadalupe River site, where flooding killed 27 campers and staff.
Here’s where the proposed laws to address camp safety, flood warnings and emergency response stand in the Legislature.