Texas lawmakers tour Camp Mystic site amid ongoing investigation into deadly 2025 floods

AUSTIN, Texas - A group of Texas lawmakers toured Camp Mystic in Central Texas today, following a tense court hearing over the deadly July flooding at the camp last summer.

The lawmakers are part of a committee tasked with investigating the deadly July 4th floods that killed more than 100 people, including 27 girls from Camp Mystic.

Private site visit at Camp Mystic

What we know:

Five state senators and five state representatives from the Texas House and Senate General Investigating Committees, walked the property under rainy skies, examining cabins and buildings that once housed hundreds of campers. No media was allowed on site.

However, from across the Guadalupe River, cameras captured the lawmakers visiting a string of cabins that were damaged by the deadly floodwaters.

Cameras could see some of the lawmakers peeking through windows and looking inside open doors. A rather ominous sight with light rain falling, as the group walked around. 

Members of the committee did not talk to reporters after the tour, as we await to see if any of the lawmakers issue statements.

Local perspective:

The committees were formed back in October to determine how the tragedy unfolded and what steps could have been taken to avoid it. 

"They’re going to look at how this tragedy could have been prevented and what the state can require from camps that care for children, so something like this never happens again," said Brian Smith, a political science professor at St. Edward’s University. 

Due to a new injunction issued by a judge, lawmakers were only given limited access to the site along with their staff. Media was not allowed, but camera crews across the Guadalupe River captured the lawmakers' tour of affected areas. 

"They are going to look to see, ‘how can we make camps safer? What kind of mandatory safety equipment has to be in place? What kind of warning systems?" said Smith. 

Any findings from the investigations could potentially lead to new legislation during the upcoming 2027 session.

"We're going to get increased regulation and oversight. This kind of legislation will be easy to pass because there's going to be a lot of momentum behind it," says Smith. 

Investigation follows tragic July 4th flooding

The backstory:

This is part of the camp where 27 campers and counselors died in the early morning hours of July 4th 2025. Heavy rainfall led to walls of water that flooded the low-lying areas of the camp.

The Christian girls camp plans to re-open some of their campuses this summer. Keep in mind that the camp also faces civil lawsuits from several families. It was a 3-day hearing that ended with the judge ultimately siding with the plaintiffs, ordering that the site not be touched for now.

The civil case was brought by the parents of Cile Steward, an 8-year-old girl who was one of the 27 who died at Camp Mystic. Her body still has not been found.

At the end of the hearing, the judge agreed to the temporary hold at the Guadalupe River campus, where lawmakers were today.

Upcoming court dates

What's next:

The judge has set aside May 13th and 14th for a status hearing. Between now and then, she wants attorneys for the plaintiffs to have an expert, including reconstruction experts, visit the site at least once to assess the conditions. The hope is they'll have an idea of how much time they will need to revisit the site, take pictures, gather any evidence, etc. With that information, the judge says she could then adjust the order, and release some of the buildings back to the camp.

Camp Mystic leaders are continuing their push to open their Cypress Lake location this summer, which is located less than a mile south of the Guadalupe site. Their license renewal will be determined by the Texas Department of State Health Services, which has yet to release a decision. 

The first civil trial is set for May 2027.