Texas Judge Orders Camp Mystic to Preserve Flood-Damaged Grounds

Ruling comes as families sue camp over 2025 catastrophic flood that killed 27 people

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Texas judge has ordered Camp Mystic to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the grounds hit by last year's catastrophic flood 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 swept away in the flood and whose body has not been recovered.

Why it matters

The ruling aims to preserve evidence as families of the victims sue the camp's operators, arguing they failed to protect campers as floodwaters approached. The deadly incident has raised questions about the camp's safety measures and emergency planning.

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 attorney said they had security cameras but no one was monitoring them when the waters rose, and that they didn't have a detailed flood plan beyond a one-paragraph slide.

  • The catastrophic flood that killed 25 girls and 2 counselors occurred on July 4, 2025.
  • The judge's order was issued on March 8, 2026.

The players

Camp Mystic

A summer camp established in 1926 that was hit hard by the 2025 flood, with damaged cabins and grounds.

Cile Steward

An 8-year-old girl who was swept away and killed in the 2025 flood at Camp Mystic, whose body has not been recovered.

Will Steward

The father of Cile Steward, who filed a lawsuit against Camp Mystic's operators.

Cici Steward

The mother of Cile Steward, who said the camp does not have adequate safety measures in place.

Judge Maya Guerra Gamble

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

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

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 (San Francisco Chronicle)

“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 (San Francisco Chronicle)

“They didn't have a plan, and they don't have a plan moving forward.”

— Cici Steward, Mother of Cile Steward (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge's order preserves the damaged areas of Camp Mystic as the families' lawsuit against the camp's operators continues. Texas regulators are also expected to review the camp's license and safety protocols before deciding whether to allow it to reopen this summer.

The takeaway

This tragic incident has raised serious questions about the safety and emergency preparedness of summer camps, especially those located in flood-prone areas. The legal battle and regulatory review will likely set new standards for camp safety to prevent such devastating loss of life in the future.