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Camp Mystic files for bankruptcy after Texas floods

Megan Stringer

Colorful pink, blue and purple bracelets honoring campers who died in the Camp Mystic floods are seen sitting on a wooden table alongside a box of tissues and a golden cross. — Bracelets honoring campers who died in the Camp Mystic floods. Photo: Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Camp Mystic filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday, nearly a year after the Texas Hill Country floods that killed 27 girls and the camp owner.

Why it matters: What happened at Camp Mystic placed a national spotlight on camp safety heading into the first summer since the devastating flooding. Texas families have continued to seek answers on the camp's emergency preparedness.

The big picture: Several family members have sued the all-girls Christian camp, with one lawsuit from November seeking more than $1 million in damages.

By the numbers: The camp has more than $10 million in debt, per the U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Its assets are more than $1 million, and it has more than 1,000 creditors.

Catch up quick: Camp Mystic is not reopening this summer, following opposition from victims' families and scrutiny from the state.

The move to keep the camp closed came after two days of testimony this April at the Texas Capitol, where lawmakers questioned the owners' handling of the disaster.

What they're saying: An attorney representing Camp Mystic's owners did not immediately return Axios' request for comment.

Paul Yetter, an attorney representing seven victims' families, said in a statement Wednesday that bankruptcy "will not stop all responsible parties from being held accountable."
"These innocent girls deserve justice," he added.

Context: Overall, more than 130 people died in the Hill Country flooding last July 4.

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Camp Mystic files for bankruptcy after Texas floods

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