Families Still Seek Answers as Camp Mystic Files Bankruptcy
Nearly a year after catastrophic flooding devastated Camp Mystic and forever changed dozens of families, the all-girls Christian camp has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Court documents filed Wednesday show the camp’s debt exceeds $10 million. The filing marks another major development in the aftermath of the July 4, 2025 disaster that claimed the lives of 25 campers, two counselors, and camp director Dick Eastland when floodwaters from the Guadalupe River surged through the property.
The bankruptcy filing comes at a time when scrutiny surrounding the camp’s emergency preparedness remains intense. Recent investigations into the tragedy uncovered concerns about evacuation planning and storm response procedures. Lawmakers and investigators have spent months examining whether more could have been done before floodwaters overwhelmed the camp.
The tragedy also sparked statewide conversations about youth camp safety. Texas lawmakers responded by passing new regulations designed to improve emergency communication and preparedness at summer camps. However, some camp operators have raised concerns about the cost and implementation of those requirements.
The tragedy hit especially close to home for many in Dallas-Fort Worth. Families from Dallas and University Park were among those who lost daughters in the flood, including 9-year-old Janie Hunt, 8-year-old Hadley Hanna, best friends Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck, and several other young girls whose lives were cut tragically short.
Since then, many of those North Texas families have transformed their grief into action. Parents have testified before lawmakers and advocated for stronger safety standards at youth camps across Texas. Their efforts helped inspire new laws requiring improved emergency planning, evacuation procedures, weather alert systems, and greater accountability for licensed camps.
For many, though, the focus remains on the lives lost and the families left behind. The bankruptcy filing may represent a new chapter in the legal and financial fallout surrounding Camp Mystic, but it does little to ease the pain still felt by parents, loved ones, survivors, and an entire community impacted by the tragedy.
As investigations, lawsuits, and policy discussions move forward, many families continue to seek answers—and healing—from one of the deadliest camp disasters in Texas history.
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