Texas Official Demands License Renewal Pause for Camp Mystic After Deadly Flood
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has formally requested the Texas Department of State Health Services to delay renewing Camp Mystic's operating license until a comprehensive investigation is completed into last year's catastrophic flash flood that claimed 28 lives. The tragic event, which occurred in July 2025, resulted in the deaths of 25 young campers aged 8 to 10, two teenage counselors, and the camp's director, Dick Eastland.
Official Calls for Operational Suspension and Investigation
In a strongly worded letter addressed to DSHS Commissioner Dr. Jennifer Shuford, Patrick emphasized that the private, non-denominational Christian girls' camp should have voluntarily suspended its planned 2026 summer operations. Despite the ongoing tragedy, the camp appears to be actively accepting applications for the upcoming season and may seek approval to renew its license before it expires on March 6.
"Until these deaths are investigated and any necessary corrective actions are taken to ensure this never happens again, a camp license should not be issued to Camp Mystic," Patrick wrote. "It would be naive to allow Camp Mystic to return to normal operations before all of the facts are known."
The lieutenant governor also criticized Camp Mystic's official website for failing to acknowledge the deaths or the ongoing search for one missing camper, while still listing Eastland as being in charge. This oversight has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the aftermath of the disaster.
Camp Maintains Separate Location Meets Safety Standards
Camp Mystic officials have responded by asserting that their Cypress Lake location, which is separate from the flood-affected Guadalupe site, fully complies with current state safety regulations and should not be denied a license. In a statement to local media outlet KXAN, camp representatives explained that the Cypress Lake property is not adjacent to the Guadalupe River and sustained no significant damage from the historic flood on July 4, 2025.
"There is, consequently, no regulatory basis to deny Camp Mystic Cypress Lake its license," the statement read. "It's a separate property that is not adjacent to the Guadalupe River and sustained no significant damage from the historic flood on July 4."
However, attorneys representing families of victims have challenged this distinction. Christina Yarnell and Bradley Beckworth, who are representing Will and CiCi Steward in their lawsuit against the camp's owners after their 8-year-old daughter died, argue that both camp locations are essentially the same operation.
"The only difference is that one is completely ruined by the water damage. And one was on a little bit higher ground," Yarnell stated, according to KXAN reports.
Legal Actions and Legislative Response Intensify
The controversy has sparked multiple legal actions and legislative responses. On the same day as Patrick's appeal, families of nine victims filed a federal lawsuit against DSHS, alleging the agency wrongfully issued a license to the camp shortly before the disaster despite lacking a required evacuation plan. The suit names six DSHS officials, including Commissioner Shuford, as defendants.
Mikal Watts, a lawyer representing Camp Mystic, told the New York Times that the lawsuit against the agency is "without merit" and appears timed to apply pressure before licenses are set to be distributed.
In November 2025, families of six children and two counselors killed in the flood had already sued the camp's owners and others for alleged negligence, claiming staff prioritized saving equipment over rescuing the young girls during the emergency.
Patrick has announced that the Texas Legislature will hold a joint spring hearing on the floods, with the Senate's General Investigating Committee meeting alongside a House committee to determine if corrective actions are necessary. He has specifically asked DSHS to delay Camp Mystic's license renewal until the investigation and any required safety improvements are fully completed.
"As Lieutenant Governor, public safety is a top priority, and I cannot stay silent on this issue," Patrick declared. "DSHS shares the obligation to protect families and campers."
Camp Extends Invitation for Site Visit
Camp Mystic officials have revealed that they extended an invitation to Patrick and other Texas leaders to visit their campsite in October 2025 to review the incident firsthand, but Patrick did not respond to their offer, according to KXAN.
"We would like to invite you and the members of the Committees to visit Camp Mystic at your convenience," camp officials stated at the time. "Our family will always be available as a resource... we believe having each member of the Committee physically tour the Camp location is the best and only way to learn what exactly happened."
The devastating July 2025 flood was triggered by a slow-moving thunderstorm over Texas' notorious "Flash Flood Alley," claiming more than 100 lives across the region. The Guadalupe location of Camp Mystic is not reopening this summer, though it is located less than two miles from the Cypress Lake location that continues to operate.
