The Tragic Truth: How Many Girls Were Missing From Camp Mystic?

The question of "how many girls are missing from Camp Mystic" is a query that continues to circulate online, stemming from a devastating and highly publicized natural disaster. As of today, December 18, 2025, the persistent rumors of a high number of girls missing from the camp are directly related to a catastrophic flash flood that occurred in the Texas Hill Country, not a series of unexplained disappearances. The initial frantic search and rescue efforts led to alarming reports of unaccounted-for campers, which tragically evolved into a confirmed number of fatalities.

The incident in question is the deadly 2015 Memorial Day weekend flood that ravaged the Guadalupe River area near Hunt, Texas. This tragedy brought the private Christian summer camp for girls, Camp Mystic, into the national spotlight, not for its long history but for the devastating loss of life and the subsequent legal battles over alleged negligence and delayed evacuation protocols.

The Camp Mystic Tragedy: A Definitive Timeline of Casualties

The core of the "missing girls" query lies in the immediate aftermath of the 2015 flood. The sheer speed and volume of the Guadalupe River's flash floodwaters overwhelmed the camp, which is situated on a flood-prone riverbank in Kerr County, Texas. The initial reports were chaotic, with numbers of missing campers and counselors fluctuating wildly as search and recovery operations commenced.

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• The Event: The catastrophic flash flood occurred during the 2015 Memorial Day weekend, though some reports incorrectly cited the Fourth of July weekend.
• Initial Missing Reports: In the hours and days immediately following the disaster, officials and news outlets reported high numbers of unaccounted-for individuals, with figures ranging from 10 to as many as 27 girls and counselors initially classified as "missing."
• The Tragic Final Count: As search efforts concluded and bodies were recovered, the classification shifted from "missing" to "deceased." Multiple reports and subsequent wrongful death lawsuits confirmed that the devastating event tragically claimed the lives of 27 campers and counselors/staff members from Camp Mystic.
• The Answer to the Query: The good news is that the number of girls who remain *permanently missing* (unrecovered) from Camp Mystic after the 2015 flood is zero, as search efforts eventually concluded with all individuals recovered and identified, though tragically, as fatalities.

This event was part of a larger, regional disaster, where the overall Texas flooding death toll surpassed 100 people, but Camp Mystic accounted for a significant number of the casualties in the Texas Hill Country.

The Wrongful Death Lawsuits and Allegations of Negligence

Following the disaster, the attention of the nation turned to the management of Camp Mystic and the decisions made in the hours leading up to the flood. The families of the deceased girls and counselors filed multiple high-profile wrongful death lawsuits against the camp and its owners, the Eastland family, alleging gross negligence.

The core of the legal accusations centered on the camp’s alleged failure to heed severe weather warnings and their decision to delay evacuation.

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Key Allegations in the Camp Mystic Lawsuits

The lawsuits, some of which involved the families of victims such as Eloise “Lulu” Peck, Hanna Lawrence, and Rebecca Lawrence, made several damning claims against the camp’s leadership.

• Ignoring Warnings: Families alleged that Camp Mystic leaders ignored mounting warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) and local authorities about the rising Guadalupe River.
• Delayed Evacuation: The lawsuits claimed that camp officials delayed evacuating the campers, particularly those housed in the most flood-prone cabins, like the one known as the "Bubble Inn."
• Prioritizing Profit Over Safety: Attorneys for the families argued that the camp prioritized profit over the safety of the young girls, choosing to house them in dangerous, flood-prone areas to avoid the cost and inconvenience of a full evacuation.
• Controversial Reopening: The camp faced additional controversy when owners, including Richard G. “Dick” Eastland, detailed plans for a partial reopening shortly after the tragedy, which some families viewed as insensitive.

The lawsuits sought to hold the camp accountable for the tragic deaths of the young victims, including sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, Sarah Marsh, Renee Smajstrla, Janie Hunt, Lila Bonner, and Blakely McCrory. While the exact details of any final settlements are often confidential, the legal actions underscored the serious nature of the allegations and the devastating impact on the Texas community.

Camp Mystic: History and Context in the Texas Hill Country

To understand the depth of the tragedy, it is important to know the history of Camp Mystic. The camp is not a fly-by-night operation but a long-established institution in the Texas Hill Country, which made the disaster all the more shocking to the community.

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• Location: Camp Mystic is located in Hunt, Texas, in unincorporated Kerr County, situated on a sprawling 725-acre campus along the banks of the Guadalupe River.
• Founding: The camp was established in 1926 by E. J. (Doc) Stewart, a former head football coach at the University of Texas. Stewart had also founded the nearby Camp Stewart for boys.
• Type of Camp: It is a private, non-denominational Christian summer camp exclusively for girls, known for its traditional summer camp activities and strong alumni network.
• The Danger: Despite its idyllic setting, the location on the Guadalupe River makes it highly susceptible to the flash flooding common in the Texas Hill Country, which is a key factor in the lawsuits filed against the camp.

The tragic loss of life at Camp Mystic serves as a stark reminder of the immense power of nature and the critical importance of emergency preparedness in flood-prone areas. The number of girls "missing" from Camp Mystic is a historical figure that, sadly, was converted into a final, tragic count of confirmed fatalities, a heartbreaking chapter in the camp's nearly century-long history.