Camp Mystic is facing a criminal investigation that may lead to manslaughter or negligent homicide charges in connection with the deaths of 27 girls during severe flooding in Texas last year, according to court documents. Investigators executed search warrants last week to obtain the electronic communications of the camp’s owners, which may provide evidence of manslaughter, negligent homicide, child abandonment, or other crimes.
As of now, no charges have been filed, and a representative for the camp did not respond to requests for comment. Brant Johnston, an investigator with the Texas Rangers, stated in an affidavit that Camp Mystic lacked adequate emergency plans, failed to conduct emergency drills or training, and did not have enough adult counselors in some cabins. He noted that the camp owners did not take necessary precautions to relocate children from low-lying cabins despite having received late-night flood warnings.
Johnston emphasized that young campers cannot be expected to recognize a rapidly developing life-threatening hazard or to organize an evacuation without sufficient adult supervision. He concluded that Camp Mystic, LLC was aware of and disregarded a significant risk of death to the campers.
The flooding on July 4, 2025, resulted in the deaths of 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the Christian all-girls camp, with the camp owner, Richard Eastland, also perishing in the incident. Camp Mystic, a long-standing summer camp, has since filed for bankruptcy reorganization and did not reopen this year.
The flooding along the Guadalupe River claimed at least 136 lives in total, raising concerns about the circumstances leading to the tragedy. Attorneys representing some victims' families expressed support for the search warrants, stating that accountability and answers should have been provided without the need for legal action. Christina Yarnell and Brad Beckworth, attorneys for victim Cile Steward's family, highlighted the ongoing struggle for information from the Eastland family regarding the events surrounding the flood.
Johnston mentioned that he visited Camp Mystic multiple times and conducted interviews with witnesses and individuals connected to the camp, but some, including members of the Eastland family, declined to be interviewed. Despite this, the Eastland family and camp leaders have testified in court and before the state Legislature, with camp director Edward Eastland offering an emotional apology.