Family of missing Austin camper sues Camp Mystic over alleged failures during July 2025 Hill Country flood

Lawsuit adds to growing legal scrutiny after deadly Guadalupe River flooding

The family of an Austin girl who remains missing after catastrophic flooding at Camp Mystic in the Texas Hill Country has filed a lawsuit against the camp and its ownership, alleging that leadership failures contributed to the child’s death. The suit is the latest in a series of wrongful-death and negligence claims tied to the July 4, 2025 disaster that swept through the Guadalupe River corridor during a holiday weekend crowded with campers and travelers.

The child at the center of the new filing is Cecilia “Cile” Steward, 8, who was attending her first overnight session at the long-running girls’ summer camp. The lawsuit states she is presumed dead, while her remains have not been recovered months after the flood.

What the family alleges happened at the camp

The petition describes a fast-developing overnight emergency as water rose while campers slept. It alleges that the youngest campers were housed in cabins closer to the river and that, as warnings escalated, campers were not moved to higher ground. The filing further alleges that camp leaders instructed counselors and campers to remain in place as conditions worsened.

The lawsuit recounts that, inside at least one cabin, girls climbed onto bunk beds as floodwaters entered. It alleges counselors attempted to evacuate children through windows and onto floating mattresses, and that some campers were swept into the current during the escape. In the family’s account, Cecilia exited the cabin and was later carried away by floodwaters.

Broader context: multiple suits and disputed responsibility

The Steward family’s lawsuit follows other cases brought by families of campers and counselors who died in the flood. Those filings generally argue that the camp lacked adequate emergency planning and training for a region known for sudden, dangerous rises in water levels, and that evacuation decisions were delayed or ineffective.

Camp representatives and defense counsel in related cases have argued that the event was an extraordinary natural disaster and have disputed claims that the tragedy was preventable through different operational decisions.

Key issues likely to be tested in court

• How camp leaders interpreted and acted on weather and flood alerts in the hours before water surged.
• Cabin placement and whether housing younger campers near the river increased risk.
• The content and execution of emergency plans, including whether staff received adequate training and clear direction.
• Communication protocols, including if and when counselors and campers were warned about the severity of the threat.

Reopening plans intensify public attention

The camp has indicated an intent to resume operations in 2026, shifting activities to areas not directly damaged while keeping the most heavily impacted river zone closed. For families pursuing litigation, reopening plans have heightened attention on accountability, recovery, and unresolved questions about preparedness for extreme weather along the Guadalupe River.

The lawsuits now moving through Texas courts are expected to focus on decisions made before and during the overnight flood, as well as what safety measures were required and feasible at the time.