The parents of nine children and counselors who died during the devastating July 4 flooding at Camp Mystic have filed a federal lawsuit accusing Texas health officials of failing to ensure the camp complied with state evacuation planning requirements.
The lawsuit centers on the role of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), alleging that the agency licensed Camp Mystic despite lacking a disaster evacuation plan that met state law. According to the filing, the camp’s emergency instructions told children to remain in their cabins during flood events rather than outlining procedures to evacuate to safer ground.
Filed Monday in federal court, the lawsuit seeks damages and equitable relief from six DSHS officials involved in youth camp oversight, including Commissioner Jennifer Shuford. The families argue that state regulators had a duty to ensure camps maintained evacuation procedures for foreseeable disasters such as flash floods, particularly in flood-prone regions of Central Texas.
The flooding occurred in the early morning hours of July 4, when intense rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to surge rapidly, inundating parts of the historic Hill Country summer camp. Eleven cabins were located in a low-lying area known as “the flats,” close to the riverbank. Staff were able to evacuate five of those cabins, but six remained occupied when floodwaters arrived, according to the complaint.
Most of the victims were in two of the cabins nearest the river. In total, 27 campers and counselors died in the disaster. Camp owner and executive director Dick Eastland also lost his life while attempting to assist with evacuation efforts.
The lawsuit contends that sufficient time existed to move all campers out of danger but that the absence of a structured evacuation plan contributed to the loss of life. While the camp itself is facing separate legal action, it is not named as a defendant in this particular suit, which focuses on regulatory oversight by state officials.
According to the filing, DSHS inspector Maricela Zamarripa documented the presence of a written disaster plan during an inspection conducted a year before the flood. She visited the site again just two days before the storm. In a report submitted shortly after the disaster, she again indicated that the camp had the required plan in place.
However, the families allege that the plan lacked a critical evacuation component required under Texas youth camp regulations. They argue that state officials either knew or should have known the plan was incomplete and nonetheless allowed the camp’s license to remain active. Court documents note that Camp Mystic’s license was valid through March 6 of this year.
The lawsuit also references testimony given by DSHS Deputy Commissioner Timothy Stevenson to state lawmakers. In that testimony, Stevenson said the agency ensured emergency plans existed but did not verify whether they included detailed evacuation procedures. The plaintiffs argue that this approach fell short of statutory requirements and undermined the state’s responsibility to safeguard children attending licensed camps.
A spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services declined to comment on the pending litigation. Legal representation for Camp Mystic did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case unfolds amid evolving state policies governing youth camp safety. In the past year, Texas lawmakers passed new legislation requiring camps to identify evacuation destinations, post routes inside cabins, and ensure those routes are visible in low-light conditions. These measures were designed to strengthen preparedness for emergencies such as floods, wildfires, and severe storms.
