Texas health regulators have informed Camp Mystic's owners that they are investigating hundreds of complaints following last year's devastating floods that killed 27 people, as the state considers whether to allow the all-girls camp to reopen this summer. The Texas Rangers are also assisting in the investigation into allegations of neglect, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, though the scope of their involvement remains unclear.
The investigations highlight the challenges facing Camp Mystic as it pursues reopening plans amid outrage from families of the 25 girls and two teenage counsellors who died in the July 4 floods. More than 850 families have signed up to return to the Christian camp this summer if it is permitted to reopen a portion that did not flood.
The Department of State Health Services said it has received “hundreds of complaints regarding Camp Mystic’s operations in the summer of 2025” alleging violations of state laws governing youth camps. The agency requested assistance from state police. The camp did not evacuate and was hit hard when the river rose from 14 feet to 29.5 feet within 60 minutes before dawn.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called the Texas Rangers’ involvement a “criminal investigation” and urged the state not to grant the camp a licence to reopen until that probe and another by state lawmakers are complete. Families of several victims have sued the camp’s operators, arguing that officials failed to protect campers as floodwaters approached. A district judge ordered the camp owners to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the flooded area as lawsuits proceed.
The body of one camper, 8-year-old Cile Steward, has not yet been recovered. DPS officials said the search continues. Camp owner Edward Eastland was also killed. The destructive flooding killed at least 136 people along a stretch of the river, raising questions about the response.
