KERR COUNTY, Texas – The deaths of more than two dozen campers and counselors at Camp Mystic during the July 4 floods in the Hill Country were a tragedy.
But were they also a crime?
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Tuesday confirmed the Texas Rangers are assisting the Texas Department of State Health Services “in an investigation regarding complaints of neglect by Camp Mystic in Kerr Co. during the July 4, 2025, floods.”
Though DPS did not say it outright, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick referred to the Rangers’ involvement as a “criminal investigation.”
Former Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood draws a similar conclusion.
“Without a doubt,” LaHood told KSAT. “If Texas Rangers are involved, it’s a criminal investigation."
When it comes to children 14 years old or younger, LaHood said an investigation regarding “neglect” could mean looking at possible charges for injury to a child or endangering a child.
“In my opinion, they’re going to look at who had knowledge of a substantial risk and did any individual with authority ignore the substantial risk that led to these unfortunate results,” LaHood said.
The July 4 floods killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River, including 25 campers, two counselors and the director of Camp Mystic.
Families of several of the girls who died have sued the camp’s operators, arguing that camp officials failed to take necessary steps to protect the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached. A district judge last month ordered the camp owners to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the grounds in the flooded area as the lawsuits proceed.
On the criminal side, LaHood said charges don’t necessarily depend on intentionally causing injury or putting a child in danger. It could also be through reckless or criminally negligent behavior.
“When you say you placed someone in danger, you’ve neglected them to a point to where they could have been seriously injured or passed away,” he said.
Department of State Health Services (DSHS) spokeswoman Lara Anton told KSAT in an email Wednesday the agency has received more than 600 messages about Camp Mystic from the public. While most include complaints or allegations, she said, some just indicate opposition to the camp’s license being renewed.
“DSHS is investigating the complaints that fall under the agency’s authority to investigate and sharing information with the Department of Public Safety,” she wrote. “You’ll need to ask DPS about their investigation.”
A DPS spokesman did not respond to a KSAT email Wednesday asking for further details on the nature of their investigation.
“All they need is probable cause,” LaHood said. “Probability that these things happened, these allegations were true, and then you can get an arrest warrant for that, and you can get an indictment with probable cause as well.”
Camp Mystic has requested a renewal of its license for the 2026 camp season, though Anton confirmed it is only for the nearby Cypress Lake portion of the camp, which was undamaged by the July 4 flooding.
Representatives for Camp Mystic told KSAT in an emailed statement the camp has “worked closely” with the Texas Rangers since the flood and they “look forward to cooperating with the Texas Rangers and supporting them in their efforts to gain a thorough and accurate understanding of what happened on the South Fork of the Guadalupe River during the early hours of July 4.”
“Camp Mystic has cooperated with every investigative request we have received, including our thorough cooperation with the work of the Senate and House General Investigating Committees. We have worked closely with the Texas Rangers since the tragic events of July 4, assisting them in their search and recovery efforts, which are ongoing. We look forward to cooperating with the Texas Rangers and supporting them in their efforts to gain a thorough and accurate understanding of what happened on the South Fork of the Guadalupe River during the early hours of July 4.”
Camp Mystic statement
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wrote to DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford on Tuesday, urging the agency to not renew the camp’s license in the face of investigations by DSHS, the Texas Rangers, and committees in the Texas Senate and House of Representatives.
“You should not renew or approve a camp license for Camp Mystic, or any other camp the same operators intend to run, until your investigation, and all criminal and legislative investigations are complete and necessary corrective actions are taken,” Patrick wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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