Camp Mystic wrongful death lawsuit filed for 7 deaths in Texas flood
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The families of seven girls killed in the July 4 Camp Mystic flood in Hunt, Texas, and camp counselors have filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit, claiming camp owners ignored flood risks and state safety rules to preserve profits.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 10 in Travis County District Court by attorney R. Paul Yetter of Yetter Coleman LLP, names the families of Anna Margaret Bellows, Lila Bonner, Chloe Childress, Molly DeWitt, Katherine Ferruzzo, Lainey Landry and Blakely McCrory, who all died in the devastating flood.
The 75-page petition alleges that Camp Mystic and its owners “put profit above safety” and “chose to house teenage girls in flood-prone areas to avoid the expense of relocating cabins.” It also accuses the camp of failing to create or follow an evacuation plan even though state regulations required it.
“Just such a tragedy struck our state on July 4, 2025,” the lawsuit states. The statement is included. “When 25 campers and two counselors died needlessly and tragically in floodwaters at Camp Mystic.”
CAMP MYSTIC made a controversial decision regarding the future of Texas Camp, where 27 people died in the flood
Camp Mystic is shown on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
Camp Mystic spans 725 acres along the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country, long known for deadly flash floods. The application includes a 1990 interview with then-director Richard Eastland, who told the Austin-American Statesman, “I’m sure there will be other drownings. People don’t heed the warnings.”
According to the lawsuit, the camp ignored many warnings from weather warnings, staff concerns and its own experiences. The counselors allegedly pleaded with the girls to evacuate them from the low-rise cabins but were told to “stay put because that’s the plan.”
Aerial views of Heart O’ the Hills in Kerr County, Texas, after deadly flooding. (Rep. Chip Roy via X)
DETAILED TIMELINE IN THE CASE:
• 1:14 a.m. — The National Weather Service issues a “life-threatening flash flood” warning.
• 01:45 – 02:13 — Camp leaders Richard and Edward Eastland allegedly worked to move equipment rather than ordering an evacuation.
• 2:20 — Advisors reported water entering the cabins but were instructed to stay inside.
• 2:30–3:30 — Five cabins evacuated to the Lounge; Six more remain, including the Nut Hut, Chatter Box, Wiggle Inn, Giggle Box, Twins and Bubble Inn.
• 3:35–3:51 — Richard Eastland’s SUV gets swept away while trying to save the girls at the Bubble Inn; All 13 campers and two counselors in that cabin drowned.
• 3:35–4:09 — 11 campers die after being told to stay at Twins Cabin because “the water would recede.”
CAMP MYSTIC made a controversial decision regarding the future of Texas Camp, where 27 people died in the flood
A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic, where at least 20 girls were missing after flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)
The petition argues that the girls could have been evacuated safely to higher ground within 60 seconds unless they were ordered to remain in their cabins.
The families accuse Camp Mystic of gross negligence, property liability and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The application also highlights a written policy stating: “In the event of flooding, all campers at Senior Hill must remain in their cabins… All cabins are constructed in safe, elevated locations.”
The lawsuit also alleges that camp administrators misled families after the disaster, telling them the girls were “unaccounted for” hours after the flood waters receded.
A search and rescue volunteer holds a T-shirt and backpack that says Camp Mystic on July 6, 2025, in Comfort, Texas. (Danielle Villasana for Washington Post via Getty Images)
In addition to the families’ outrage, the lawsuit also includes the decision to announce that the camp will reopen for the upcoming summer season because camper Cile Steward is missing.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
The families are seeking more than $1 million in damages, including wrongful death and punitive damages, and have requested a jury trial.
