Families Sue Camp Mystic for Flood Negligence

Families of young campers and counselors killed in catastrophic flash floods at a Texas Hill Country summer camp have filed multiple lawsuits accusing the camp's operators of gross negligence that turned a predictable disaster into a deadly one.

The suits, lodged in Travis County District Court, target Camp Mystic, a 99-year-old Christian all-girls camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, along with members of the Eastland family who owned and ran the facility. On July 4, floodwaters surged more than 25 feet in under an hour, overwhelming the camp and killing 25 campers, two teenage counselors and longtime owner Dick Eastland. The tragedy contributed to more than 130 deaths across the region, one of the deadliest flooding events in the U.S. in decades.

According to the filings, the camp ignored well-documented flood risks in an area known locally as Flash Flood Alley, where major inundations have occurred repeatedly since at least 1932. The lawsuits detail how cabins housing the youngest girls, including Bubble Inn and Twins, sat in federally mapped floodplains despite state requirements for evacuation plans. One petition alleges the Eastlands challenged Federal...