Camp Mystic Faces Scrutiny as Court Bars Altering Flood Death Site
In a pivotal ruling, a Travis County judge has ordered Camp Mystic to preserve the buildings where 27 campers and counselors perished during catastrophic flash floods on July 4, 2025. The decision came after three days of emotionally charged hearings in Austin, where families of the victims are pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the Hill County Christian summer camp. Testimony from camp officials revealed significant controversies. Camp medical officer Mary Liz Eastland, a member of the family that owns and operates the camp, testified that she has still not officially reported the 27 deaths to the Texas state health agency, which is simultaneously reviewing the camp's application to reopen this summer. Furthermore, camp leadership argued the flood was an unpredictable act of nature, though testimony grew tense as plaintiffs questioned what Camp Mystic knew about flood warnings issued before the storm hit. The camp's director, Edward Eastland, broke down in court multiple times, expressing anguish over the loss of life and stating he wished he had had more information. Despite this, parents of victims, including Jennifer and Doug Getten who lost their 9-year-old daughter, are fighting to delay any reopening, arguing the site should remain untouched as the legal process continues. The court's ruling ensures the physical evidence is preserved while the lawsuit proceeds.
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Testimony grows tense in Austin hearing over deadly Camp Mystic flooding | kens5.com
AUSTIN, Texas — Emotional and at-times heated testimony continued Wednesday in Austin as a court weighs what should happen next at Camp Mystic, where 27 people died during last summer's deadly Hill Country flooding.
Camp Mystic official testifies that flood deaths still haven't officially been reported to state agency
AUSTIN, Texas — The medical officer ... in a flood last year testified Tuesday she still has not officially reported the deaths to the state health agency that regulates camps and is reviewing its application to reopen this summer. ... Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Mary Liz Eastland, a member of the family that owns and operates Camp Mystic, was questioned ...
See All Newsletters ... Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) Read More ... Jennifer and Doug Getten, who lost their 9-year-old daughter Ellen Getten in the July 4th flood, attend a hearing on a suit against Camp Mystic, in the 459th State District Court, ...
AUSTIN, Texas — After three days of emotional testimony, Travis County Judge Maya Guerra Gamble has chosen to uphold her initial ruling barring Camp Mystic from using or altering buildings where 27 campers and counselors died in the July 4th floodwaters.
Camp Mystic director breaks down in court saying he wished he had more information before catastrophic flood | CNN
For the second day in a row, a director of Camp Mystic — the rural Christian summer camp in Texas that was overwhelmed by flood waters last year — broke down in tears in a courtroom when asked about Cile Steward, one of the 27 girls and counselors who died in the disaster.
After days of wrenching testimony about camp deaths, judge says Camp Mystic’s flood site must remain untouched | Regional/National Headlines | local3news.com
Brandon Bell/Getty Images via CNN Newsource ... (CNN) — Leaders of Camp Mystic — the Christian girls camp where 27 campers and counselors died in torrential flooding last summer — must continue to keep many damaged buildings untouched while a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family ...
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