A bankrupt Camp Mystic seeks to sell the property as legal troubles grow
[September 29, 2026]
By JIM VERTUNO
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The owners of Camp Mystic have proposed selling off
the riverfront property as part of a bankruptcy plan, with hopes that a
buyer will preserve the camp's “historic mission” following the death of
27 campers and counselors swept away by a 2025 flood.
The century-old private Christian girls' camp filed a Chapter 11
bankruptcy reorganization plan on Sept. 25 that would auction off the
749 acres (3 square kilometers) it owns and other assets.
The sprawling campus, nestled among rolling wooded hills on the banks of
the Guadalupe River, had several single-story cabins that housed some of
the youngest campers and a recreation hall near the riverfront. A second
campus on elevated ground was not flooded.
The Eastland family has owned the camp for decades and initially sought
to reopen this summer. But they faced fierce opposition from victims’
families and some state lawmakers, lawsuits and legislative
investigations into what went wrong.
A buyer would likely get a portion of the camp frozen in time. Families
of the victims have fought to stop any demolition of damaged cabins and
buildings and stop repairs as part of their lawsuits.
The bankruptcy plan said the owners expect a purchaser would be backed
by a group of families that support the camp.
“Nothing in the plan requires any buyer to operate the property as a
camp,” the filing said, “but the plan states an express preference, in
determining the highest or otherwise best bid, for a buyer that will
maintain the historic mission of the camp.”
Twenty-five campers and two counselors were killed when the river surged
over its banks in the pre-dawn hours of July 4, 2025. Camp owner and
director Richard Eastland was also killed. At least 136 people were
killed along a several-mile stretch of the river.
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A memorial for the victims of the 2025 Camp Mystic flood stands,
July 17, 2026, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez, File)
Earlier this month, state police investigators sought search
warrants for the electronic communications of the camp's owners,
saying they could provide evidence of manslaughter, negligent
homicide, child abandonment or other crimes.
No charges have been brought.
A probe by state lawmakers determined the camp’s young and
inexperienced counselors were not trained for floods and other
emergencies. It said an earlier decision to evacuate could have
saved every life. Most of the victims were under age 10, and some
were attending camp for the first time.
The camp's bankruptcy proposal would have to be approved by U.S.
Bankruptcy Judge Christopher M. Lopez. Officials with Camp Mystic
did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment
Monday.
All creditors, including the families who have sued Camp Mystic over
the deaths, will have a chance to respond to the plan.
“The Eastlands are now attempting to determine the future of the
Camp Mystic property, but the victims' families including my
clients, will fight to protect their rights and ensure any sale is
fair and transparent,” said Tim Ferguson, attorney for the family of
8-year-old Mary Grace Baker, one of the campers who died.
“The Bakers intend to continue fighting for answers, accountability
and justice for their daughter,” Ferguson said.
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