Camp Mystic owners face investigation over fatal Texas floods

The owners of Camp Mystic, a private Christian camp in Hunt, Texas, are under criminal investigation following a catastrophic flash flood on July 4, 2025. The flooding of the Guadalupe River resulted in the deaths of 28 people at the camp, including owner Dick Eastland, as well as two counselors and 25 campers.

Texas Rangers have applied for search warrants to obtain electronic communications from the Eastland family and camp staff. Investigators are examining whether the deaths constitute crimes such as manslaughter, negligent homicide, or child abandonment. An affidavit from the Texas Department of Public Safety suggests that the camp’s emergency plans were inadequate, noting that owners allegedly failed to move campers from low-lying cabins despite monitoring flood warnings, and failed to conduct sufficient emergency drills or provide adequate adult supervision.

The tragedy, which contributed to a larger regional death toll exceeding 130 people, has also prompted scrutiny of flood mapping and evacuation protocols. While FEMA maintains that its flood maps identify insurance risks rather than predicting specific storm paths, critics argue that the disaster highlights systemic failures in how warnings are communicated and acted upon during rapid-onset weather events.