Families Sue Camp Mystic, Alleging Negligence in Hill Country Floods
Families of campers and counselors who lost their lives in the devastating Hill Country floods at Camp Mystic on July 4 have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing the camp and its owners of gross negligence and reckless disregard for safety.
The lawsuit, filed in Travis County District Court, seeks to hold the camp accountable for what families are calling an “entirely preventable tragedy” that claimed the lives of 27 campers and counselors when flash floods swept through the area.
The plaintiffs include the parents of five campers and two counselors: Warren and Patricia Bellows, Blake and Caitlin Bonner, Matthew and Wendie Childress, Ryan and Elizabeth DeWitt, John and Andrea Ferruzzo, Ben and Natalie Landry, and Lindsey McCrory. The families are represented by attorneys Paul Yetter, Justin Tschoepe, Reid Simpson, and Shannon Smith of Yetter Coleman LLP in Houston.
According to the suit, Camp Mystic, situated along the Guadalupe River, a region known as “Flash Flood Alley”—ignored multiple severe weather warnings and failed to implement a proper evacuation plan as floodwaters rapidly rose. The filing alleges that camp leaders instructed children to remain in their cabins and delayed evacuation efforts to protect property and equipment rather than prioritize human safety.
“These young girls died because a for-profit camp put profit over safety,” the petition states. The lawsuit further accuses the camp of attempting a “hopeless” rescue after conditions had already become too dangerous to save many victims.
In a statement, Ryan DeWitt, father of 9-year-old camper Molly DeWitt, said the families’ goal is not only justice but also reform. “We carry the memory of our daughter in everything we do,” he said. “This legal step is one of honoring her, and we believe that truth and justice are essential to finding peace—not only for our family, but for every family affected.”
The lawsuit seeks both actual and exemplary damages, aiming to hold Camp Mystic accountable and push for stronger safety regulations at youth camps across Texas.
