Parents fight renovation as Camp Mystic looks to reopen after flood deaths

The parents of a child who remains missing and is presumed dead after flood waters struck Texas' Camp Mystic are fighting to stop renovations as their lawsuit against the owners continues.

At least 27 campers and counselors from the all-girls summer camp, including 8-year-old Cecilia "Cile" Steward, were killed along the Guadalupe River when deadly flash floods ripped through the area on July 4, 2025. The camp's owner and director, Richard "Dick" Eastland, also died in the flood, reportedly while trying to save campers. Camp owners on Sept. 22 said a portion of the camp would reopen for the summer 2026 season.

Cile's parents, CiCi and Will Steward, said they were "devastated" by the reopening plans and sued the camp, members of the family that have run it for decades and other owners in February, claiming they were negligent in the care of their daughter and intentionally inflicted emotional distress. The family asked the court to stop the defendants from further remodeling to preserve evidence and "from utilizing the Camp Mystic site for any commercial purpose" while the lawsuit proceeds.

"Defendants prioritized reopening Camp Mystic and preserving their profits over the dignity of the deceased children and the emotional well-being of their families," the suit said. "Despite pending recovery efforts, active lawsuits, and ongoing governmental investigations, Defendants launched a coordinated public-relations campaign designed to rehabilitate Camp Mystic’s image and solicit future campers."

In March, District Court Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ordered camp officials not to alter the property near the Guadalupe River, but did not block the reopening of its neighboring Cypress Lake site, the Texas Tribune reported. Attorneys for camp owners appealed her decision, and Gamble is expected to decide whether to keep the temporary injunction in place after the hearing, which began on April 13, the Washington Post reported.

Camp director gets emotional in court

Edward Eastland was emotional in court on the first day of the hearing as he described his attempts to grab campers and escape the floodwaters. He said he doesn't know what happened to Cile.

Eastland said he wished things had been done differently in hindsight, but denied neglecting the campers and counselors.

"I wish we had never had camp that summer," he said.

"But you wish to reopen it here in six weeks," the Stewards’ attorney, Brad Beckworth, said.

"We want to open the camp, the campus that's on the other side," he said. "That's not this camp."

The portion of the camp that owners are seeking to reopen is about a half mile from the section affected by the flooding. More than 800 girls are registered to attend sessions this summer, according to a statement from Camp Mystic.

In a message to families, the camp’s operators previously said their "planning and procedures will reflect the catastrophic 1,000-year weather event that occurred on July 4, including never having campers return to cabins that had floodwaters inside them."

Beckworth presented photos of the camp at different points after the flooding, and Eastland acknowledged that some structures have been cleaned and repaired, with high water and debris marks removed. He agreed that evidence needs to be preserved as the investigations continue.

Legal troubles mount after deadly Camp Mystic flood

The Steward family is seeking more than $1 million in damages in their suit. But that case is just part of the ongoing fallout from the deadly flooding.

In February, families of nine campers and counselors sued health officials, claiming they failed to enforce an evacuation plan required by state law. A group of families of campers who died also sued the camp and its owners and operators for negligence in November.

The Texas Rangers are still searching for remaining flood victims in Kerr County and assisting the Texas Department of State Health Services in an investigation into complaints of neglect during the floods, according to Sheridan Nolen, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has urged the health services department not to issue a 2026 camping license to Camp Mystic, citing the Rangers' investigation. State lawmakers are also investigating the tragedy, according to court documents.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Thao Nguyen and Marc Ramirez