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Parents of Missing Camp Mystic Camper Sue to Stop Reopening

The 108-page filing in Travis County accuses the Eastland-run camp of ignoring flood alerts, failing to evacuate before the July 4 surge.

Overview

  • Will and CiCi Steward seek more than $1 million in damages and a temporary restraining order to block Camp Mystic’s return as their daughter, 8-year-old Cile, remains missing and presumed deceased.
  • The lawsuit alleges a 1:14 a.m. National Weather Service warning urged immediate movement to higher ground, yet camp leaders delayed for over an hour, moved canoes and horses, and instructed some cabins to stay put.
  • Plaintiffs say the camp lacked a workable evacuation plan, training and communication devices, leaving the youngest campers in low-lying Flats cabins without timely guidance or alerts.
  • Camp Mystic’s attorney disputes liability, calling the flood an unexpected, unforeseeable surge and saying the camp plans new procedures and technologies to enhance safety.
  • The filing comes after earlier wrongful-death suits from other families as Camp Mystic recruits for a 2026 season at its Cypress Lake location.