Camp Mystic victim’s family sues owner, alleging negligence
Families of victims are suing Camp Mystic after flooding killed 27 people, alleging negligence and a lack of emergency planning.
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For the past year, Texas lawmakers have been investigating the July 4, 2025, floods that killed more than 130 people, including 27 girls attending a summer camp in central Texas.
Nearly a year later, Texas House and Senate investigative committees will meet for the first time in Austin. Days after visiting Camp Mystic (just north of San Antonio), 27 girls and the camp owner were killed in heavy rains caused by the rising waters of the Guadalupe River.
It also came after the camp announced in late 2025 that it would renovate some of the destroyed grounds and reopen for the 2026 summer season amid intense backlash from the parents of the girls who died, Texans and lawmakers.
The state Legislature created a commission to investigate the incident, and the parents of 8-year-old Cecilia “Cillie” Steward, whose body has never been found, filed a lawsuit over plans to reopen the camp.
The family asked the court to order the camp’s owners to halt construction and modifications to preserve evidence and to cease “commercial use” of the Camp Mystic property while the lawsuit proceeds. Earlier this month, a court heard horrifying and emotional testimony from camp counselors that night as part of the lawsuit.
Camp Mystic, Texas When will lawmakers meet to discuss July 4th flooding?
The Texas House and Senate Committees on the July 2025 Flood Event are scheduled to meet in Austin, Texas, on Monday, April 27 and Tuesday, April 28 at 10 a.m. Central Time/11 a.m. Eastern Time.
According to the notice, lawmakers will “receive investigative updates from the commission’s investigators in connection with the investigation into the 2025 flood event.”
There will be no public testimony. Only invited testimonies will be heard.
How can I watch the July 2025 Texas hearing?
The hearing will be held in Room E2.016 of the Texas State Capitol.
It will also be live-streamed at house.texas.gov/video-audio/ or senate.texas.gov/av-live.php.
Mateo Rosiles is a Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and local Texas newspapers. Do you have any news tips for him? Email us at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
