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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.
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53 Articles
Texas officials share blame in Camp Mystic deaths, new lawsuit claims
Camp Mystic, the all-girls camp in Central Texas, devoted one brief paragraph to floods in its one-page emergency plan submitted to state officials. During a flood, campers in the lower section of camp along the Guadalupe River must “stay in their cabins unless told otherwise by the office,” the plan stated. “All cabins are constructed on high, safe locations.”
Coverage Details
Total News Sources53
Leaning Left13Leaning Right7Center27Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
L 28%
C 57%
15%
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