Security Guard Says Early Evacuation Could Have Saved Lives at Deadly Camp Flood

Testimony reveals missed chances to prepare and delayed decisions to evacuate at Camp Mystic during 2025 disaster.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:48pm

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting depicting a raging flood sweeping through a remote, wooded valley, with any physical structures or human figures dwarfed and obscured by the powerful floodwaters.The devastating flood that tore through Camp Mystic exposed the camp's lack of emergency preparedness, with tragic consequences.Austin Today

A security guard at Camp Mystic in Texas testified that if a general evacuation order had been issued early during a deadly flood last year, lives could have been saved. Glenn Juenke said he made the decision to tell a group of campers to flee to higher ground as floodwaters rose, but the camp lacked a detailed emergency plan and failed to promptly order everyone to evacuate their cabins. The camp's plan to reopen this summer has angered victims' families, as the license remains under review by state regulators.

Why it matters

The testimony provides the most extensive details yet on the events at Camp Mystic during the deadly 2025 flood, highlighting missed opportunities to prepare and evacuate campers that may have prevented the 27 fatalities. The case has sparked a legal battle over the camp's future, with victims' families opposing its planned reopening this summer.

The details

Security guard Glenn Juenke said he first helped move some girls to a two-story building, but later got trapped in a cabin himself as floodwaters rose. Juenke ordered a group of young girls to run to higher ground, and later told campers in the cabin to get on air mattresses to stay afloat for several hours. Juenke said camp operators never trained staff and campers on emergency evacuation procedures, and a short notice posted in cabins had instructed them to stay put until given instructions.

  • The deadly flood swept through the Guadalupe River at Camp Mystic in the predawn hours of July 4, 2025.
  • A three-day hearing was held in April 2026 regarding the camp's plan to reopen this summer.

The players

Glenn Juenke

A security guard at Camp Mystic the night of the deadly 2025 flood, who helped move some girls to safety but also got trapped in a cabin himself.

Dick Eastland

The co-owner of Camp Mystic who died in the 2025 flood.

Catie Eastland

One of the camp directors who Juenke met up with near the two-story recreation building where about a hundred girls had escaped the flood.

Cile Steward

An 8-year-old camper whose body has not been recovered after the 2025 flood.

Brad Beckworth

An attorney representing the family of Cile Steward.

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What they’re saying

“You can blame it on Mother Nature or God Almighty, but if anyone had used the speakers or walkie talkie and told them to leave before 3 (am), they would've survived.”

— Brad Beckworth, Attorney for the family of Cile Steward

“We did everything we could do in the time that we had.”

— Glenn Juenke, Security guard

What’s next

A judge last month ordered the camp to preserve damaged areas as evidence for pending lawsuits, but that ruling is under appeal. The camp's license to reopen this summer remains under review by state health regulators.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the critical importance of comprehensive emergency planning and early evacuation procedures at summer camps and other facilities that host large groups, especially in areas prone to severe weather events. The testimony reveals missed opportunities that may have saved lives, raising questions about accountability and the camp's preparedness for future disasters.