Camp Mystic says it’s halting plans to reopen after mounting pressure from parents of campers who died in floods

By Alaa Elassar, Pamela Brown, Shoshana Dubnow, CNN

(CNN) — Camp Mystic — the Texas Christian girls camp where 27 campers and counselors died in last July’s devastating floods — has withdrawn its application to reopen this summer, stepping back from a possible return many grieving families had feared would come too soon.

“No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July’s tragedy,” Camp Mystic said in a statement Thursday.

For some families who have been fighting to keep the camp closed, the decision by the Eastland family, who own and operate the camp, brings a measure of relief.

Cici and Will Steward, whose young daughter remains the only child still missing after the floods, said in a statement they are “grateful that no child will be placed in the Eastlands’ care this summer” but sharply questioned why the camp waited until now to withdraw its application.

“For nearly ten months, our family has lived with the unbearable absence of our eight-year-old daughter, Cile – the last Camp Mystic camper still lost in the ruin of the Guadalupe River,” the family’s statement read.

“What the Eastlands offered today was not accountability. It was not out of respect for our grieving families. Nor because they wanted to do the next right thing. We have pled with them to stop since September. It was a calculated exit from a license they were about to lose.”

The withdrawal follows mounting pressure from state leaders and victims’ families to keep the camp shuttered. Multiple criminal and civil inquiries into the deadly July 4, 2025, floods at Camp Mystic remain ongoing, including a wrongful-death lawsuit. The backlash was swift as camp owners explored reopening options despite those investigations, and families called on regulators to block any return to operations.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement the camp’s decision means it will remain closed this year, adding the Texas Department of State Health Services is continuing to work with the Texas Rangers on an investigation into Camp Mystic and the findings will be made public as soon as possible.

“Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones and those recovering from last year’s devastating Fourth of July floods,” Abbott said.

Grieving families mark a fragile step forward after months of anguish

As some state leaders consider the withdrawal the right choice, for many families it carries a far more personal weight — a long-sought decision after months of grief, unanswered questions and pressure to keep the camp closed.

“This is welcome news for the Heaven’s 27 families and the first step of many,” a representative for the families told CNN.

Jill and Patrick Marsh, who lost their eight-year-old daughter Sarah, told CNN in a statement their family is “relieved” by the announcement.

“Such immense loss and raw grief cannot co-exist with business-as-usual,” the Marsh family said. “Our focus remains on honoring the lives of our girls, supporting efforts to improve camp safety, and pursuing truth and justice.”

Matthew Childress, whose 18-year-old daughter Chloe was working as a counselor at Camp Mystic when she died in the flooding, called the withdrawal a first step toward accountability.

“We never imagined a world without our daughters, and no decision made now can change that,” he told CNN in a statement. “As Camp Mystic steps back, we step forward — with an unshakable commitment to remembrance, to accountability, and to ensuring our daughters’ lives leave a lasting impact that protects others.”

Childress in October described the months since the tragedy as an “emotional roller coaster of grief” and trauma he said will “haunt our family forever.”

In tearful public testimony and opinion pieces, including one for the Houston Chronicle, Childress has questioned the camp’s decisions and how leadership could consider reopening so soon after the disaster, arguing their early push raised “urgent questions” about “judgment, accountability, and motive.”

But for the parents still waiting for answers about their missing daughter, the sense of closure is far from complete and their fight over accountability and recovery continues with undiminished urgency.

“This is not the end,” the Stewards said. “We will continue to fight for Cile and the recovery to bring her home. We will continue to fight for the legal reforms this Committee and the Heaven’s 27 Safety Act began. We will not stop until a jury renders its verdict in court, where it belongs.”

Decision follows harrowing testimonies from grieving families

During two days of emotional testimony earlier this week, investigators have said the Eastland family failed to build a flash flood evacuation plan, hold drills or give camp counselors any serious training in preparation for a major weather event – and delayed a response as waters rose.

The family was pushing to reopen only part of the camp this summer, though not the section closest to the Guadalupe River where 27 people died.

Britt Eastland, a camp director, said in his testimony Camp Mystic would correct deficiencies pointed out by the Department of State Health Services soon and has made several other safety changes.

The family, “through time,” hopes to reconcile with the families affected by the flood and hopes they will understand the Eastlands “did everything we could in this unimaginable flood,” he added.

“We believe if we do it right, a year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now, they will be glad that we had camp this summer,” he continued. “I know right now it doesn’t seem that way, but I really believe that.”

Mary Liz Eastland, the camp director in charge of the nursing staff, also testified and told lawmakers her family would step away from running the camp if needed.

“I think we’re willing to take a step back. If camp can go on, that’s OK with us. We are willing to step back and take a pause,” she said Tuesday.

But emotional testimony from grieving families, along with concerns raised by lawmakers and investigators, made clear the deep doubts about whether the camp could safely care for hundreds of children while fundamental questions remain about the decisions made as the disaster unfolded.

“At the conclusion of heartbreaking testimony from the families of Heaven’s 27 two days ago, I was hopeful the Eastland family would consider withdrawing their 2026 Camp Mystic license application for this summer,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement on X, adding he is “thankful” the family ultimately made the decision and calling it “the correct” step to protect campers and allow investigations to proceed.

Patrick had previously urged regulators to deny the camp’s application until all investigations and corrective actions were complete, saying Texans “deserve transparency and clear answers before DSHS issues a seal of approval.”

The camp said the decision Thursday is intended to “remove any doubt that Camp Mystic has heard the concerns.”

“Today is not about camp operations,” the camp said. “It is about respect for the families, accountability to the public and reverence for the memory of the lives lost.”

Even in the shadow of last summer’s tragedy, some families had still planned to send their daughters back, underscoring how deeply rooted the camp is in the community.

“(The) place matters. And for a lot of these girls, losing that place is deeply felt. Today, 850+ girls lost something very meaningful to them,” Kevin Dalrymple, who was planning to send his 11-year-old daughter to Camp Mystic Cypress Lake this summer, told CNN following the camp’s decision.

Dalrymple said his daughter was “absolutely heartbroken” to learn the camp would not be reopening. This would have been her fourth year at Camp Mystic, although she was not present during last summer’s floods, her father confirmed.

“I grew up on this river attending Camp Rio from 1990-2003 which is nearby. And what happened on July 4th was unlike anything anyone could have ever imagined, and it happened in 30 minutes,” Dalrymple said. “No one ever thought this could happen the way it did.”

“I believe this decision was ultimately the right one, but mainly because of the unnecessary scrutiny they have received,” he added, expressing his love and care for the Eastland family.

“It really is just a complicated situation with a lot of pain on all sides. I just hope whatever comes next brings some level of healing for everyone involved.”

Founded in 1926, the camp provided a “wholesome Christian atmosphere” and a haven where girls “develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem,” according to its website. The girls at Camp Mystic developed friendships, grew spiritually and strove to “be a better person” and to “let Mystic bring out the best in them,” according to the website.

“To the families the camp addressed in its statement today: I am sorry you were held in limbo for so long, and I hope your daughters still find the positive, healing, and safe camp experience they deserve,” the Steward family said in their statement. “Every Texas family deserves that.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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