Texas judge orders Camp Mystic to preserve flood-damaged grounds

The order comes as families of victims sue the camp over last year's deadly flood that killed 27 people.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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A Texas judge has ordered Camp Mystic to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the grounds hit by last year's catastrophic floods that swept away and killed 25 girls and two counselors. The order follows a lawsuit by the family of 8-year-old Cile Steward, who was killed in the flood, arguing that any changes at the camp could destroy evidence needed for their lawsuit.

Why it matters

The deadly flood at Camp Mystic last year raised serious questions about the camp's safety protocols and emergency preparedness. This court order to preserve the damaged areas is an important step in the ongoing legal battle, as families seek accountability and aim to ensure such a tragedy never happens again at the camp.

The details

District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ordered Camp Mystic to halt any construction or alterations to the cabins where campers were housed during the floods, as well as the portion of the camp closest to the Guadalupe River where those cabins were located. The camp's owners had planned to rebuild parts of the camp outside a 1,000-year flood zone, but the judge ruled they must preserve the damaged areas as evidence for the lawsuit.

  • The deadly flood occurred on July 4, 2025.
  • The judge's order was issued on March 4, 2026.

The players

Camp Mystic

A summer camp in Hunt, Texas that was devastated by catastrophic floods in 2025, killing 25 campers and 2 counselors.

Cile Steward

An 8-year-old girl who was killed in the 2025 flood at Camp Mystic. Her family has filed a lawsuit against the camp.

Will Steward

The father of Cile Steward, who is seeking to preserve evidence at the camp for the family's lawsuit.

Maya Guerra Gamble

The Texas district judge who ordered Camp Mystic to preserve the damaged areas of the camp.

Mikal Watts

An attorney representing Camp Mystic and its owners.

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What they’re saying

“What we're trying to do is preserve the evidence that's there so that we can understand, so that future campers will never be put in a situation like this again.”

— Will Steward, Father of Cile Steward (AP)

“The worst thing you can do is put a bunch of 8-year-olds on a bus and try to drive them out of there. They all would have drowned.”

— Mikal Watts, Attorney for Camp Mystic (AP)

What’s next

The camp still needs to be approved for a license by state regulators to operate this summer. Legislative probes into the deadly flood are also expected to begin in the spring.

The takeaway

This court order is a critical step in holding Camp Mystic accountable and ensuring the camp takes the necessary safety precautions to protect campers in the future. The families of the victims are seeking justice and demanding changes to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.