KERR COUNTY, Texas – More than 100 people were killed in Kerr County on July 4, 2025, due to a flood along the Guadalupe River.
Floodwaters and an overflowing river ran through Camp Mystic, an all-girls, Christian camp.
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Twenty-seven girls died on Camp Mystic grounds last July along with former camp director Richard “Dick” Eastland.
Families aimed their frustration toward the Eastland family. They believed the deaths could have been prevented.
Lawsuits, state investigations and intervention from Texas lawmakers caused the Eastland family to withdraw their application to renew its camp license on April 30.
The camp planned to reopen this summer at its Cypress Lake location a half-mile away from the Guadalupe River location on higher ground.
Why did the Eastland family withdraw?
Members of the Texas House and Senate general investigating committees on the July 2025 Flooding Events, were appointed in October 2025.
The investigation demanded the Eastland family to close the camp’s Guadalupe River location, but the family remained interested in renewing the camp license for their nearby property.
Families directly impacted by the floods filed several lawsuits to prevent a reopening, but others were interested in returning their children to camp.
Two months ago, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick began an effort to block Camp Mystic’s license renewal application.
“It would be naive to allow Camp Mystic to return to normal operations before all of the facts are known,” Patrick wrote to Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner Jennifer Shuford.
The Eastlands were called to Austin on April 14 to testify and were asked why they didn’t evacuate the camp sooner.
Ten days later, DSHS decided Camp Mystic’s emergency plan was insufficient and gave them 45 days to correct 22 issues before it would be considered for renewal again.
On April 27, Criminal Attorney Casey Garrett offered the investigation’s findings.
The investigation was “limited to Camp Mystic because of the fact that they’re applying to reopen,” flood committee member and State Sen. José Menéndez told KSAT.
Garrett laid out safety flaws the Eastland family overlooked and how the camp could have prevented the tragedy, according to Garrett’s testimony.
Garrett claimed camp communications were a “failure” during the July 4 flooding and had a “very complacent” and apparent “flood culture.”
Edward, Mary Liz, Britt and Richard Eastland (Dick’s son), who operate as directors of Camp Mystic, defended their case before the committee on April 28.
Edward Eastland opened the hearing with an apology to the families in the courtroom and those watching via livestream. The apology kicked off a 12-hour emotional day of testimony from the Eastlands and more than a dozen parents (15).
After the apology, members of the flood committee continued to question the Eastland’s for hours. state Sen. Charles Perry suggested the possibility of the Eastland family distancing themselves from Camp Mystic — if it reopened this summer.
“Y’all will not be an operator next session, (or) next season, if I can have anything to say with that,” Perry said.
In the hearing, parents spoke on behalf of their surviving or dead children. Mothers and fathers looked into the Eastlands’ eyes while airing their grievances.
Two days later, on April 30, Camp Mystic withdrew its application to renew its camp license.
More recent Hill Country flood coverage on KSAT: