TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Camp Mystic faces its first major legal test Wednesday — a hearing that could prevent the camp from reopening this summer.
The hearing stems from a lawsuit filed in February by the family of Cile Steward, one of the 27 campers and counselors killed during last summer’s catastrophic flooding at the Kerr County camp.
KHOU 11 Legal Analyst Carmen Roe said the case could set the tone for how similar lawsuits are handled.
“We know that these camps have been combed over by law enforcement, by experts, by lawyers for months,” Roe said.
Attorneys for the Steward family are asking a judge to issue a temporary restraining order. If granted, it would halt construction at Camp Mystic and keep the camp closed until the lawsuit is resolved.
“I think the court is clearly acting diligently to deal with this case and maybe help others understand how it will be handled going forward in other cases,” Roe said.
The Steward family’s lawsuit is one of at least five currently moving through the legal system against Camp Mystic.
Last week, the lieutenant governor also asked the state not to renew the camp’s license until a legislative investigation is completed.
In a statement, Camp Mystic attorney Mikal Watts said:
“We empathize with the families of the campers and counselors and all families in the Hill Country who lost loved ones in the horrific and unprecedented flood of July 4. We are devastated by the deaths of our campers and counselors, and we continue to pray for God to comfort and support their families in their unfathomable grief.”
Watts said the camp intends to argue that the sudden surge of floodwaters “far exceeded any previous flood in the area by several magnitudes,” and that it was “unexpected and unforeseeable.” He also said there were no adequate early-warning flood systems in the area.
The statement disputes what the camp calls misinformation in the legal filings regarding the actions of Camp Mystic and Dick Eastland, who also died in the flooding. Attorneys say they plan to formally respond to the allegations in court.
“In the meantime, we remain proud of the legacy of Camp Mystic and its role in forging strong, young Christian women across Texas,” the statement reads. “We will endeavor to continue that role in the future while focused entirely on implementing a litany of new procedures and new technologies to make Camp Mystic and the community around us safe for all who come in the future.”
The camp says details about enhanced safety measures at Camp Mystic Cypress Lake are available on its website.
Got a news tip or story idea? Email us at newstips@khou.com or call 713-521-4310 and include your name and the best way to reach you.