The operators of Camp Mystic in Texas are facing serious allegations following a catastrophic flooding incident that claimed the lives of 25 girls and two teenage counselors on July 4. A lawsuit has been filed by the families of the victims, accusing the camp of failing to take necessary precautions to protect the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached. This legal action, initiated on Monday in state court in Austin, seeks over $1 million in damages, although it does not specify an exact amount.
The lawsuit comes amidst growing outrage from the families of the victims regarding plans to reopen the 100-year-old camp next summer. Among the grave allegations is the claim that a groundskeeper was instructed to spend more than an hour evacuating equipment while the girls and counselors in cabins nearest to the Guadalupe River were ordered to stay put. This decision was made even as floodwaters began to overwhelm the camp grounds.
The legal complaint has been filed by the families of five campers and the two counselors who tragically lost their lives. It states, "These young girls died because a for-profit camp put profit over safety." The lawsuit asserts that the camp management chose to house the campers in cabins located in flood-prone areas, prioritizing financial considerations over the safety of the children. This negligence extended to the operators’ failure to create a comprehensive evacuation plan, which is mandated by state regulations, leading to a policy that required campers and counselors to remain in their cabins during the flooding.
The defendants named in the lawsuit include Camp Mystic, its affiliated entities, and the estate of Richard Eastland, the camp's owner who also perished in the flooding. Additionally, family members of Eastland are included in the legal action. Another lawsuit with similar allegations has also been filed by the family of Eloise Peck, a camper who was among those who died in the tragic event. Both lawsuits have been lodged in Travis County.
In the aftermath of the flooding, which resulted in at least 136 fatalities, questions have arisen about the preparedness of local authorities. County leaders were reportedly asleep or out of town during the disaster. Although the head of Camp Mystic had been monitoring weather conditions, it remains unclear whether he received an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to local phones. This lack of timely response is a focal point of scrutiny.
Ryan DeWitt, whose daughter Molly DeWitt was among the campers who lost their lives, expressed hope that the lawsuit would aid in their quest for peace. "We trust that through this process, light will be shed on what happened, and our hope is that justice will pave the way for prevention and much-needed safety reform," DeWitt stated. The tragic deaths of the campers and counselors, along with poignant testimonies from grieving parents, have catalyzed a series of new laws aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future.
