Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

Judge Bars Changes to Camp Mystic’s Flood Zone as Senator Urges License Hold

State regulators are under pressure to delay license renewal pending ongoing investigations.

A murky Guadalupe River lurks next to Camp Mystic four days after a catastrophic flood killed 25 campers and two counselors there on July 4. Campers’ belongings such as blankets and footlockers are spread out across the grass.
Camp Mystic co-owner Tweety Eastland, center, listens during a hearing in a Travis County courtroom on March 4. The hearing focused on Will and CiCi Steward’s request for a temporary injunction against the camp. Their daughter, Cile Steward, 8, of Austin, was swept away from Camp Mystic during the July 4, 2025 flooding. Her body still has not been recovered. 
Alli Naylor, left, mother of 8-year-old Wynne Naylor, who died at Camp Mystic, and Malorie Lytal, the mother of 8-year-old Kellyanne Lytal, who also was killed, listen during a hearing in a Travis County courtroom on March 4. 
Will and CiCi Steward wait for the start of a court hearing focused on their request for a temporary injunction against Camp Mystic on March 4. Their 8-year-old daughter, Cile Steward, of Austin, was swept away from Camp Mystic during the July 4, 2025 flooding on the Guadalupe River.

Overview

  • District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ordered Camp Mystic to preserve flood‑damaged cabins and stop any alterations to the riverfront area to protect evidence for ongoing litigation.
  • The ruling stems from a lawsuit by the family of 8-year-old Cile Steward, who was swept away on July 4 and remains missing despite continuing searches.
  • State Sen. Joan Huffman called on the Texas Department of State Health Services to withhold the camp’s license this year, echoing an earlier request from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
  • Camp Mystic seeks to operate its higher‑ground Cypress Lake campus this summer and has registered nearly 900 campers, but it still needs state approval as its current license expires March 31.
  • Camp representatives say Cypress Lake complies with new safety laws and cite added flood‑alert towers, two‑way radios, improved cellphone coverage, and enhanced security, while legislative committees have yet to issue findings on the disaster.