Camp Mystic files for bankruptcy after deadly Texas flood tragedy

Camp Mystic sought Chapter 11 protection with more than $10 million in debt as the Hill Country camp faces lawsuits, state scrutiny and the financial fallout from the flood that killed 25 girls and two teenage counselors. The filing listed assets of just $100,001 to $500,000, underscoring how little remains at a camp once synonymous with summer tradition on the Guadalupe River.

The filing came in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, nearly a year after the July 4, 2025, disaster that turned Camp Mystic into one of the most closely watched symbols of the Texas flood tragedy. At least 136 people died along the Guadalupe River in the wider flooding, and some families have come to call the loss of their daughters and counselors “Heaven’s 27.”

The move followed Camp Mystic’s decision to halt plans to reopen this summer amid anger from victims’ families and lawmakers. State officials warned that summer camps could be blocked from reopening unless they revised safety plans.

The June 18 Texas legislative investigation found Camp Mystic did not have state-required written emergency plans or adequate evacuation measures. Investigators also pointed to communication lapses, weak instructions to counselors and haphazard planning by camp director Richard Eastland, who died while trying to rescue campers.

Families of victims filed lawsuits in November 2025 accusing Camp Mystic of gross negligence and failure to evacuate the girls from flood-zone cabins. The lawsuits sought more than $1 million each in damages. Camp lawyers have disputed allegations that the camp ignored warnings or put profit ahead of safety.

In a June 3 hearing, Edward Eastland apologized to families and said the camp had tried its hardest but that it was not enough. Parents described the lasting shock of losing children at a place that was supposed to be safe.