Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp in Texas where 28 people died in a catastrophic July 4, 2025 flood, has filed for bankruptcy. The filing cites debts between $10 million and $50 million and assets between $1 million and $10 million, after a stat
On a July 4, 2025 morning, 28 people never made it out of Camp Mystic.
Two teenage counselors. 25 campers. and the camp’s co-executive director died after floodwater trapped them when the nearby Guadalupe River rose to 37 feet in just an hour. The tragedy reshaped the lives of Kerr County families and the people who responded—then lingered as the camp moved from mourning to decisions about reopening.
Nearly a year later, Camp Mystic’s owners are taking another step with high financial stakes: they have filed for bankruptcy following a state investigation and a failed attempt to reopen the camp.
In the court filing, the camp’s operators disclosed that its total debts range between $10 million and $50 million. Its assets, by contrast, were listed between $1 million and $10 million. The numbers make one thing stark for anyone following the case: the liabilities left behind by a catastrophe can quickly outgrow the capacity to rebuild.
The legal fallout began taking shape even before the bankruptcy. In November, families of the victims filed a lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages, accusing the camp of failing to take necessary precautions to keep campers and counselors safe as the flood approached.
Before that, the camp’s own plans had briefly suggested a different direction. As recently as April, the camp’s owners still intended to reopen the camp this summer. That changed after an emotional legislative hearing, where parents of the deceased campers spoke.
After the hearing, the camp issued a statement withdrawing its application to operate this year. “Twenty-eight precious lives were lost,” it said. “We recognize that no statement and no decision can undo that loss or ease the burden carried each day by parents. siblings. loved ones. survivors. first responders and our beautiful Kerr County community.”.
The statement continued: “Rather than risk defending our rights under Texas law in a manner that may unintentionally effect further harm, we choose rather to withdraw our application for the 2026 camp season.”
The state investigation released new detail about what lawmakers and families had been pressing to understand.
Though the deaths were described as accidental. a newly released investigation by state investigators found the camp failed to adequately prepare for storms. evacuate in a timely fashion. train its staff for emergency situations. and communicate efficiently with families of the campers in the aftermath. The report is 115 pages long.
Its introduction frames the purpose for reform: “The lessons to be learned from the camp’s inadequate emergency planning and response are worthy of careful study for opportunities to avoid similar future tragedies.”
The report’s findings during the evacuation describe a response that did not scale fast enough as conditions worsened. It states that. during the evacuation. only three adult staff members were actively evacuating campers. and they were evacuating “one cabin at a time.” The report says the camp’s PA system was never used to alert other campers and staff members. It also says campers were not instructed to evacuate on foot even while it was safe to do so.
The report’s preface leaves the matter open rather than closed. “This report does not mark the end of legislative inquiry,” it reads. “It is. instead. a starting point for the next stage of reform as we strive continuously to make camps safer. emergency response more effective. and disaster relief more compassionate for our fellow citizens in their moments of crisis.”.
In bankruptcy, Camp Mystic’s numbers now sit beside the details of what state investigators say went wrong—each reinforcing how quickly a single day’s disaster can turn into a long-running fight over responsibility, safety, and financial survival.
Camp Mystic bankruptcy Texas campground bankruptcy Guadalupe River flood 28 deaths 37 feet river rise state investigation emergency planning evacuation failures Kerr County lawsuit families
So they’re broke now… didn’t they have insurance or something?
37 feet in an hour is insane. But I don’t get how a camp can just reopen after that. Also I feel like the “bankruptcy” part is gonna get used to dodge the lawsuit.
Wait, are they saying the river went up because of like dam stuff? Or was it just weather. My cousin said Christian camps always ignore red flags like “flood warnings” because they think God will handle it. Idk if that’s true but yeah.
Debt between 10 million and 50 million and assets 1 to 10 million… that’s basically done for, unless someone buys the brand. I saw another thing online where they said they were gonna reopen this summer and then backed out after that hearing, so sounds like they knew they were screwed legally too. Sad either way.