Camp Mystic ' s proposal to sell its camp industry in Hill Country, Texas, through insolvency proceedings is at the stage of court review, while the criminal investigation faced by camp owners is advancing. According to court documents and numerous media reports, Camp Mystic filed an application for bankruptcy in June 2025, after 28 people were killed as a result of sudden flooding on 4 July 2025, and is currently seeking court approval to sell camp land and other assets. Potential buyers have the option of retaining the camp operation, subject to reapplying for operating licences issued by the State Government. Meanwhile, Texas Ranges is investigating whether the camp leadership was guilty of criminal negligence in the event of a flood, including manslaughter, death by criminal negligence, abandonment and injury to children.
The bankruptcy plan proposed by Camp Mystic required the sale of its camp industry on the Kerr County, Guadalupe River. The camp covers approximately 725 acres and consists of two adjacent sites, south-west of Hunt, adjacent to the South Fork Guadalupe River and Cypress Creek. According to the court documents, this sale, which is under the supervision of the court, must be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Lopez before it becomes effective.
Reports indicated that the camp had been scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2025, but that in April 2025, the camp had announced that it would remain closed and had withdrawn its application for operating permits. In the new sales programme, potential buyers have the option of continuing the operation of the camp; if they choose to continue the operation, the buyer needs to obtain a new licence that meets the relevant guidance criteria of the state government. That is to say, even if there is an industrial shift, the ability of the camp to resume its summer camp will depend not only on the willingness of the buyer, but also on the outcome of the state licensing process.
In addition, there have been reports that the programme proposed by camp owners includes dissolution, which means that the Eastland family ' s original ownership of the camp may be terminated. The Kerr County Lead reports that camp owners have offered to sell the camp and cancel the Eastland ownership arrangements. At present, the final entry into force of this arrangement is still pending review and approval of the insolvency plan by the court.
Camp Mystic, a private, non-sectarian Christian girls' summer camp, was founded in 1926 as Stewart's Camp for Girls. The camp caters for girls between the ages of 8 and 17 and offers a multiweek summer course covering outdoor activities, skills development and spiritual development in a Christian environment. In 1937, the camp was acquired by the Stacy family, which subsequently maintained ownership; in 2025, the camp owners were Dick Eastland and Tweety Eastland.
In the early hours of 4 July 2025, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms hit Hill Country in Texas, and the Guadalupe River water surged rapidly, resulting in flash floods at Camp Mystic. The floods were part of a wider flood in Central Texas. The disaster caused serious damage to the camps, resulting in 28 people killed. The victims comprised 25 battalions, 2 counsellors (councils) and camp directors. Among them, Richard "Dick" Eastland, the camp owner and director, was also killed in the disaster.
It is worth noting that Camp Mystic is not the first flood. In July 1932, there was a flood in the camp, which resulted in the destruction of several huts, but no casualties were reported at that time. The magnitude and consequences of the current floods in 2025 were much greater than in the past and were a direct cause of the camp insolvency proceedings and subsequent legal investigations.
As the camp insolvency proceedings advanced, Texas Ranges was investigating whether the Camp Mystic leadership had committed criminal offences during the flood disaster. The investigation covered possible offences, including manslaughter (manslaughter), criminal negligent homicide, child abandonment and victimization (injury to a child).
The central question of the investigation was whether the camp leadership had failed to take reasonable precautions to protect the children under its care in the face of the flooding of the camp. In a search warrant, Agent C. Johnston, investigator Texas Ranges, stated that young campers could not reasonably be expected to independently identify rapid development risks to their lives and to organize and carry out evacuation operations without adequate adult supervision. This statement highlights the focus of the investigation: the presence of adult supervisors, early warning measures, and whether evacuation arrangements are in place.
In order to obtain the evidence required for the investigation, Texas Ranges obtained a total of 14 search warrants to inspect electronic communications and other digital data from members of the Eastland family, camp staff and other camp-related individuals. The search warrants were approved on Friday by a state district judge from Kerr County. The search warrant affidavit mentions that this evidence may help to establish whether the camp leadership has an obligation of due diligence. The investigation is still ongoing and there is no publicly available information on specific allegations or prosecution decisions.
The sale of the Camp Mystic industry is not a simple land deal, but also involves uncertainty about the future operation of the camp. According to court documents, new buyers may choose whether to continue the industry as a summer camp. However, if the buyer wishes to continue to operate, it must obtain a new operating licence from the State Government. This requirement means that, even if the industry finds buyers, the camp ' s ability to resume summer camp operations will depend on the outcome of the approval of the state licensing process.
At the same time, the insolvency plan itself required approval by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Lopez. The court may review the terms of the sale, the distribution of assets, the interests of creditors and the settlement arrangements. With the closure of the camp announced in April 2025 and the withdrawal of the permit application, the camp is currently closed, with multiple variables for future operations.
Furthermore, the legal issues facing the camps are not limited to criminal investigations. Several media reports indicate that Camp Mystic is undergoing pending flood-related litigation (unsolved food-relayed laws). These actions are intertwined with insolvency proceedings and may affect the terms of the sale of the property, the choice of the buyer and the eventual distribution of creditors. For potential buyers, in addition to the uncertainty of obtaining a licence, there is a need to assess the possible legal risk of pending litigation.
For potential buyers of the camp industry, two key points need to be addressed: whether or not to choose to keep the camp operational and whether or not to be willing and able to pass through the state government licensing process. If they choose to operate, the buyer needs to know the specific requirements and approval process for the license of the state government and to assess the possible legal liability and costs of pending litigation. For current camp creditors, the outcome of the approval of the insolvency plan will determine the distribution of the proceeds of the sale of the assets and the related arrangements after the termination of family ownership in Eastland. The progress of the criminal investigation by Texas Ranges, which may involve the legal responsibility of the camp leadership, is a focus of concern for the camp ' s families and the families of the victims, but there is no public information on specific allegations or trial schedules.
For local communities and interested members of the public, the sale of the camp industry and insolvency proceedings are matters of court supervision, with the final outcome subject to court approval. The reopening of camps and the form in which they operate will depend on the willingness of the buyer, the approval of the State Government and the final arrangement of the bankruptcy plan.
Currently, the Camp Mystic bankruptcy sales programme is at the stage of court review and has not been approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Lopez. The court would then review the sales programme, possibly including consideration of the terms of the sale, the scope of the assets, the interests of creditors and the settlement arrangements. The bid and selection of potential buyers, the feasibility of state licensing procedures and the progress of pending litigation are variables that influence the final outcome.
Meanwhile, the criminal investigation of Texas Ranges continues. Investigators are reviewing electronic communications and digital data obtained through 14 search warrants to assess whether the camp leadership has committed criminal offences. There is no publicly available information as to whether the results of the investigation would lead to specific charges, charges and subsequent judicial proceedings. Follow-up points that may be of interest to victims ' families, camp-related personnel and the public include: court approval decisions for bankruptcy plans, the final choice of potential buyers, progress in the state government licensing process, and subsequent legal developments in the Texas Ranges investigation.
Camps are currently closed and camp activities were rendered impossible in the summer of 2025. For those who would like to know whether the camps might be reopened in the future, there was a need to look at the outcome of the insolvency proceedings together with the approval of the state authorities.