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Mystic – the Texas Christian girls camp where 27 campers and counselors died in torrential flooding last year – has withdrawn its application to reopen this summer.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. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had 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.”
“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. Court filings show camp owners had been exploring reopening options despite those investigations, a move that drew criticism from families who have called on regulators to block any return to operations.
Earlier this month, a Texas judge ruled the owners must continue to keep many damaged buildings untouched while the wrongful death lawsuit moves forward.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
