AUSTIN, Texas — State health officials in Texas have notified Camp Mystic’s ownership that they’re examining hundreds of formal complaints stemming from last summer’s catastrophic flooding that claimed the lives of 27 girls, as regulators weigh whether to permit the all-girls facility to resume operations this summer.
The elite Texas Rangers investigative unit has also joined efforts to examine neglect allegations, the Texas Department of Safety confirmed, though officials haven’t disclosed the full extent of their involvement in the probe.
These ongoing investigations highlight the significant obstacles Camp Mystic confronts as it moves forward with reopening efforts despite fierce opposition from families who lost loved ones — 25 campers and two teenage staff members — in the July 4 disaster. Despite the tragedy, more than 850 families have registered to return to the Christian camp for girls this summer if authorities approve reopening the unaffected portions of the facility.
Since February, the Department of State Health Services has documented “hundreds of complaints regarding Camp Mystic’s operations in the summer of 2025” that cite potential violations of state regulations governing youth camping facilities. Officials requested assistance from state law enforcement in response to the volume of complaints.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that Rangers are participating in an “investigation regarding complaints of neglect” related to the flooding incident. Both agencies have declined to provide additional specifics. The camp failed to evacuate before floodwaters surged from 14 feet to 29.5 feet in just one hour during pre-dawn darkness.
Health department officials sent correspondence Tuesday notifying camp ownership of the active investigation, though the letter didn’t reference Texas Rangers participation.
Legal representatives for both the victims’ families and Camp Mystic ownership haven’t responded to requests for comment.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick characterized the Rangers’ participation as a “criminal investigation” and urged state officials to withhold operating permits until both this probe and a separate legislative inquiry conclude.
“I urge you to prioritize safety and do everything in your power to ensure Camp Mystic and/or their operators are not allowed to operate until the facts are in,” Patrick stated in his Tuesday correspondence to the health agency director.
Multiple families who lost children have filed lawsuits against camp operators, contending that staff failed to implement adequate safety measures as dangerous floodwaters threatened the facility. Last month, a district court judge mandated that camp owners preserve damaged structures and flooded grounds as litigation continues.
Eight-year-old Cile Steward remains missing, and DPS officials report that recovery efforts for the young camper are ongoing.
Camp co-owner Richard Eastland also perished in the disaster. The devastating flooding ultimately killed at least 136 people across several miles of the river valley, prompting widespread questions about the sequence of failures that led to such massive loss of life.
