A Texas judge has upheld a temporary restraining order preventing Camp Mystic from using or altering buildings and grounds where 27 campers and counselors died in a catastrophic flood.
Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble issued the ruling Wednesday in Austin after three days of emotional testimony in the 459th District Court. The order, first granted in March and now strengthened, requires the historic Christian girls camp to preserve the flooded portion of its Guadalupe River campus in Hunt as evidence in a civil lawsuit.
The family of 8-year-old Cecilia “Cile” Steward, whose body has not been recovered, filed the suit seeking to protect cabins, pathways and other physical features from any changes while the case moves forward. A status conference is set for mid-May and the first trial is scheduled for 2027.
The July 4, 2025 flash flood struck the Kerr County camp along the Guadalupe River. Testimony highlighted the rapid rise of water and the camp’s emergency response. The judge noted Camp Mystic may have violated Texas administrative code by lacking a documented written evacuation plan and proper safety training records, supporting a potential finding of negligence per se. One building, the Sugar Shack, was released from the injunction on the condition that no evidence inside is altered.
Camp Mystic, owned by the Eastland family for generations, had planned limited reopening this summer on higher ground. The injunction keeps the affected riverfront area untouched. The disaster ranks among the deadliest at a Texas summer camp and has triggered multiple lawsuits plus state investigations.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
The July 4, 2025 flash flood struck the Kerr County camp along the Guadalupe River.
The July 4, 2025 flash flood struck the Kerr County camp along the Guadalupe River.
