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Mystic – the Texas Christian girls camp where 27 campers and counselors died in torrential flooding last year – has withdrawn its application to reopen this summer.

The withdrawal follows mounting pressure from state leaders and victims’ families to keep the camp shuttered.

“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 on Thursday.

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.

The decision to abandon reopening plans was welcomed by families of the children and counselors who died at the camp.

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

Earlier this month, and following days of heart-wrenching testimony, a Travis County District judge said she would issue an order maintaining camp leaders must preserve cabins and land affected by the flooding – a ruling which kept the camp from cleaning up the site.

Investigators have said the Eastland family, which owns and runs the camp, failed to build a flash flood evacuation plan, hold drills or give camp counselors any serious training in preparation for a major weather event.

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.

“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.”

Matthew Childress, whose daughter Chloe was a counselor at the camp who died in the flooding, called the decision a first step.

“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.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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