r/KerrCountyFloods

Hi everyone, I’ve been following the news about Camp Mystic and the discussions around whether it might close and it made me wonder about the broader situation. I myself have worked at a camp close to Mystic for several summers.

For parents and counselors from other Hill Country camps (not Mystic), how are you all doing? What’s the general feeling about this summer? Are people planning to return or is there uncertainty? I feel like people are barely questioning wether these camps should be reopening even though they too would have had many losses if it werent for lucky situations (eg Camp HOH being on break).

I’d really appreciate hearing your perspectives. Are you guys continuing to support the camps and to send your kids?

I’ve recently had a discussion with someone who was a part of the search efforts suggesting that at some point during the flooding of camp mystic the water flowed backwards. They said that this was evident by individuals being found “behind” camp mystic, specifically the gate guard.

I also knew several people who perished in the floods and although I know where they were prior to the flooding, I don’t know where they were recovered and for some reason that really bothers me.

Is there any kind of map that shows where individuals were found? I imagine there isn’t one with names but is there one at all?

Does anyone know why the Camp Mystic site is still up? https://campmystic.com/ It just seems inappropriate given the totality of the situation, it would be best to forever shut this and the business down forever.

Did anyone else notice that during her testimony, when asked about the yearly state inspections, Mary Liz said they would give the inspector a binder with all their protocols and procedures. The person would spend "a lot of time in the office" reviewing it.

Where is this binder?! Surely there must be a copy (or even an electronic copy) saved somewhere, right?

How would the investigator (sorry, can't remember what branch of authority she said this person was from) sign off on a summer camp that didn't have a safety plan in place? Didn't I read that this was a written requirement for all camps? Or did that only become a requirement post passage of the H27 bill?

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wtpjdkjrj7opov9boo764/Camp-Mystic.pdf?rlkey=7o54me525tros8oao4j2bkact&e=1&st=qc3ex71e&dl=0

Am I Going to Die Today?

Link to a pdf of the article that ran in the Austin American Statesmen, San Antonio Express and Houston Chronicle.

I am a regular visitor to Kerrville/Hunt, a former Waldemar camper, and have relatives who were at Mystic during the flood - so I have been playing close attention to everything since last July. I have been to Hunt since July so I have seen the aftermath. If you have not been there, and I know you have all heard it, but there are no words to describe the difference between the 'before' and 'after' in that area. It was extremely disorienting driving those miles down 39 because it was unrecognizable. In thinking about what it must have been like the night of July 4th - unimaginable and yes unprecedented. So many structures completely disappeared or were gutted, including at Heart of the Hills. For months I have felt that the Eastlands were being unfairly blamed for what happened. La Junta could have easily suffered the same fate were it not for those brave counselors and of course, HOH who also lost its director and did not have campers at the time. But what "could have" happened doesn't really matter now because it didn't.

I still have a certain level of sympathy for the Eastlands on a human level but after seeing the hearing this week I have to strongly agree they should not be opening the camp this summer and probably not ever, even CL. They are in no state of mind to do so either mentally or emotionally and they still do not seem to get that their lack of professionalism and taking responsibility (rather than giving it up to God or whatever) is not going to fly anymore. They lived in a world of their own and that world is over. Tweety especially seems protected and completely disconnected from reality. Of course, fairly or unfairly, I compare it to Waldemar and would imagine Marsha would have handled everything differently from the very beginning.

This all feels so surreal, though also not because everything in 2025/26 feels surreal. Who is going to tell them? They need to fold, walk away, get help, and then start helping. I don't see it happening that way though.

Where can I find these and why are the so hard to locate?

I have most of day 2 and 3 but can’t find day 1.

Does anyone have links to the full streams of each day? So tired of reading about it form news and opinions of folks that weren’t there. I’d like to for my own opinions and see this start to finish.

Where are they??

seriously. where was richard!?!

this information seems like it has to come out eventually, but it's very shady that it's not known now, and that members of his family continued to say they didn't know where he was when under oath over the past few days.

Money went into family trust

Did they delete their account? It was private for a while, then public, and now it’s gone. I’m sure the backlash out after the hearing has been powerful, but that’s an interesting move.

hi there, quite a few random questions as someone with very little knowledge or insight. I am following these cases for a unique reason in that I lost my community to a devastating natural disaster recently, and there are many lawsuits/disputes essentially regarding failed authority and such, also being an affluent community/people with power. So I have become interested in the dynamic of this as well. feel free to put me in place if any question is not appropriate as that is never my intention:

1. Why do they prefer to have the lawsuit filed in travis county? Is there a reason why they are strongly against kerr/why does the defense feel strongly?

2. Is there anything currently stopping cypress lake from opening this summer? or are they free to proceed?

3. 22 families have filed, what are the other 5 and why (geniunely from a logisitc/legal standpoint) ?

4. this is a very stupid basic question but why is the trial so far?! originally april 2028, now 2027. still over a year away...i know most court cases are like that but is this not more urgent especially if they are claiming negligence but being allowed to open camp..

5. I saw one of the mother's post a screenshot of another mother (i believe Lucy Dillon is the camper) stating that it was just revealed to her that LD passed and was found in the cabin...How does that even happen? I hate to ask but is this true?

6. might be back with more but thats all i have

After hearing some of ML testimony I was curious about the history of ML and her connection to camp mystic as her emergency response & response to the tragedy in general seems to be very poor to me. It absolutely astonished me to come across the fact that from my research alone I counted 12 consecutive summers from 1993-2005 that ML participated as a camper and counselor at CM. That right there is 12 years of firsthand experience as a camper/counselor at CM. Then there’s the experience from 2006-2025 where she transitioned into the role of program director and from there of course transitioned into many other roles. Here comes my point, how did someone with so much firsthand experience to CM have such a poor response. She herself slept in twin 1 and twin 2. You didn’t think in 2025 that it was a problem that hundreds of women and children had no way to contact you? Especially when the emergency procedures are “stay there” not to find help or safety. You didn’t make observations from your time as a CM camper to then huge leadership position to say “hey nothings changed since I came here 20 years ago we need a way to communicate to the cabins.” Furthermore to not attempt to communicate any emergency or any type of instructions you felt might be helpful to the little girls who slept in the same exact bunks you did 20 years ago. I guess I’d just expect a little more empathy for girls of families that you quite literally grew up with and raised at a camp you were in charge of & seemed to love considering the 32 plus summers you spent there. That’s all.

I’d love to get some insight on the DSHS licensing procedure and their licensing authority under the Texas Admin Code if anyone is familiar. More particularly, I’m wondering if there’s a way DSHS can lawfully deny Mystic’s license under the statute.

§265.24 (c)(3) [pg. 24 of the linked PDF] basically says DSHS shall issue a renewal license if facility (A) meets the definition of “youth camp” and (B) is in compliance with all act provisions as determined by (i) submitting application (ii) passing an inspection, and (iii) complying with any final orders for pre-application violations.

From what knowledge I have, Mystic meets the definition of a youth camp and has passed or would pass an inspection (for the CL site at least). Additionally, I’m unaware of any existing final orders for violations. Am I wrong on any of this?

Finally, I’ve been told that DSHS commissioners/dieextors could subject themselves to personal liability and get sued if they exceed their authority. Would political pressure be enough to persuade them to deny the license?