Nearly one year after one of the deadliest camp disasters in recent memory claimed the lives of 28 people, the Christian summer camp at the center of the tragedy is now seeking bankruptcy protection while facing mounting legal pressure from grieving families.
Camp Mystic, the historic Texas girls' camp devastated by catastrophic flooding on July 4, 2025, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week as multiple wrongful death lawsuits continue to move through the courts.
The filing marks a dramatic new chapter in the fallout from the disaster that shocked the nation and left families searching for answers about what happened during the early morning flood that swept through the camp along the Guadalupe River.
According to bankruptcy documents, Camp Mystic reported less than $10 million in assets while listing liabilities between $10 million and $50 million. The filing comes as more than a dozen families pursue legal action against camp leadership, alleging that staff failed to evacuate campers and counselors despite growing flood dangers.
The lawsuits have become increasingly contentious.
Among the most vocal families are Will and CiCi Steward, whose 8-year-old daughter, Cile, was killed in the disaster. The couple has accused Camp Mystic of attempting to avoid accountability through legal maneuvering after the camp sought to move several cases into arbitration.
In court filings, attorneys for the Stewards accused the camp of engaging in "bad-faith litigation conduct" and asked the court to impose sanctions.
The bankruptcy filing also follows the release of a highly critical legislative investigation that identified multiple failures in the camp's emergency response.
According to the report, Camp Mystic lacked adequate emergency planning, failed to prepare properly for severe weather, delayed evacuation efforts, and struggled to manage communications during and after the disaster.
The findings have fueled growing anger among affected families, many of whom say they were left in the dark as the tragedy unfolded.
"Parents of campers were traumatized by incomplete and conflicting information while waiting to learn whether their loved ones had survived," the report concluded.
The camp's leadership, members of the Eastland family who have operated Camp Mystic for generations, had initially hoped to reopen portions of the facility for the 2026 summer season. Those plans collapsed after strong opposition from victims' families and ongoing regulatory scrutiny.
When Camp Mystic withdrew its application to reopen, camp leaders said they did so out of respect for grieving families and the continuing investigations.
Not everyone accepted that explanation.
"It was not out of respect for our grieving families," Will and CiCi Steward responded in a public statement. "It was a calculated exit from a license they were about to lose."
Now, with bankruptcy proceedings underway, many families fear the move could complicate efforts to obtain answers and financial accountability.
For supporters of the century-old Christian camp, the filing represents a stunning fall for an institution that served generations of families. For those who lost daughters, sisters, and friends in the flood, the legal battle is only entering its next phase.
