Texas
Families sue Camp Mystic over deadly Texas flood, allege negligence and profit motive
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Families of seven girls and camp counselors killed in the July 4 Camp Mystic flood in Hunt, Texas, have filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit, alleging the camp’s owners ignored flood risks and state safety rules to protect profits.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 10 in Travis County District Court by attorney R. Paul Yetter of Yetter Coleman LLP, names the families of Anna Margaret Bellows, Lila Bonner, Chloe Childress, Molly DeWitt, Katherine Ferruzzo, Lainey Landry and Blakely McCrory — all of whom died in the catastrophic flooding.
The 75-page petition claims Camp Mystic and its owners “put profit over safety” and “chose to house young girls in flood-prone areas to avoid the cost of relocating cabins.” It also accuses the camp of failing to create or follow an evacuation plan, despite state regulations requiring one.
“Just such a tragedy hit our State on July 4, 2025,” the lawsuit reads. “When 25 campers and two counselors needlessly and tragically died in the floodwaters at Camp Mystic.”
CAMP MYSTIC MAKES CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ABOUT FUTURE OF TEXAS CAMP WHERE 27 DIED IN FLOODING
Camp Mystic is shown in Hunt, Texas on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
Camp Mystic spans 725 acres along the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country, an area long known for deadly flash floods. The filing cites a 1990 interview with then-director Richard Eastland, who reportedly told the Austin-American Statesman, “I’m sure there will be other drownings. People don’t heed the warnings.”
According to the lawsuit, the camp ignored multiple warnings — from weather alerts, staff concerns, and its own experience. Counselors allegedly pleaded to evacuate girls from low-lying cabins but were told to “stay put because that’s the plan.”
Aerial footage of Heart O’ the Hills in Kerr County, Texas after deadly flood. (Rep. Chip Roy via X)
TIMELINE DETAILED IN THE LAWSUIT:
• 1:14 a.m. — National Weather Service issued a “life-threatening flash flood” warning.
• 1:45 a.m.–2:13 a.m. — Camp leaders Richard and Edward Eastland allegedly worked to move equipment instead of ordering an evacuation.
• 2:20 a.m. — Counselors reported water entering cabins but were instructed to remain inside.
• 2:30–3:30 a.m. — Five cabins were evacuated to the Rec Hall; six others were left behind, including Nut Hut, Chatter Box, Wiggle Inn, Giggle Box, Twins, and Bubble Inn.
• 3:35–3:51 a.m. — Richard Eastland’s SUV was swept away as he tried to rescue girls from Bubble Inn; all 13 campers and two counselors in that cabin drowned.
• 3:35–4:09 a.m. — Eleven campers died in Twins Cabin after being told to stay because “the water would go back down.”
CAMP MYSTIC MAKES CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ABOUT FUTURE OF TEXAS CAMP WHERE 27 DIED IN FLOODING
A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic, the site of where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)
The petition argues that the girls could have safely evacuated within 60 seconds to higher ground if not ordered to remain in their cabins.
Families accuse Camp Mystic of gross negligence, premises liability, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The filing also highlights a written policy stating: “In case of flood, all campers on Senior Hill must stay in their cabins… All cabins are constructed on safe, high locations.”
The lawsuit also alleges that camp administrators misled families after the disaster, telling them the girls were merely “unaccounted for” hours after the floodwaters receded.
A search and rescue volunteer holds a T-shirt and backpack with the words Camp Mystic on them in Comfort, Texas on July 6, 2025. (Danielle Villasana for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Adding to families’ anger, the lawsuit cites the camp’s decision to announce its reopening for the next summer season while one camper, Cile Steward, remained missing.
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The families are seeking more than $1 million in damages, including wrongful death and exemplary damages, and have requested a jury trial.
Texas
Grand Prix Arlington set to bring top speeds to North Texas’ entertainment district
In just a few days, the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington will take place. Bill Miller, President and General Manager of the event, says this race has been in the works for two years.
“We started, you know, conceptually, how do you design a racetrack on what are city streets and around the property,” said Miller.
Miller says they are on schedule, adding that it takes crews almost a month to set everything up.
“The track is 2.73 miles, 14 turns. You’re going to have top speeds on Randol Mill right behind us here, where the cars are going to be going 180mph,” said Miller.
Drivers will race through the Arlington Entertainment District, going past Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium.
“We’ve now come to Randol Mill, and we’re in the area of the track that we call the horseshoe. This is going to be one of the more technical spots of the track. Drivers will be just hugging around this turn and going probably 90 to 100, 100 plus miles an hour,” said Miller.
Miller says they’ve carefully planned every little detail with the hopes of giving an expected crowd of about 80,000 people the best experience.
“You will feel the cars and that speed as they transition through this year’s area. It’s going to be pretty awesome,” said Miller.
Tickets are still available. CBS News Texas will be live at the race events this Friday.
Texas
Texas vs South Carolina basketball: Live updates, how to watch 2026 SEC championship game
GREENVILLE, S.C. — On Sunday afternoon, Texas women’s basketball and South Carolina will reunite in the SEC Tournament’s championship game.
South Carolina is looking to win its 10th SEC Tournament championship since 2015. Having been the Big 12’s best in 2022 and 2024, Texas is playing for its third conference tournament title under head coach Vic Schaefer.
Stay tuned for live updates.
Texas vs. South Carolina: Live updates, highlights
The Longhorns scored 20 of this game’s first 25 points and will take a 1-point lead into the second quarter. Leading the Longhorns was sophomore forward Justice Carlton, who outscored the Gamecocks by herself. While scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Carlton also recorded three rebounds and three assists.
Carlton’s quick start came less than 24 hours after she played just four minutes in the second half of an 85-68 win over Ole Miss.
South Carolina shot just 4-for-13 from the field over this afternoon’s first 10 minutes. Over its first 14 games against ranked teams this season, South Carolina had outscored its opponents by an average of 4.2 points in the first quarter.
Fueled by Justice Carlton, Texas has jumped out to a 14-0 lead in South Carolina. Carlton already has scored six points, and the sophomore forward assisted teammate Breya Cunningham on the game’s first basket and set up another UT score by drawing an offensive foul. Carlton has also recorded a steal.
Texas has made its first seven shots this afternoon. South Carolina has called an early timeout after a start that included five turnovers and just one field-goal attempt.
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Texas
Wright’s heroics rally BYU past No. 10 Texas Tech to snap 3-game slide
PROVO — Robert Wright III wasn’t one of the four seniors honored in BYU’s regular-season finale Saturday night.
But if it was his final time playing in the Marriott Center — and in an era of the transfer portal that opens up and NBA-like free agency every offseason, you can never count that out — then the former All-Big 12 freshman at Baylor was going to make it memorable.
How about a top-10 victory, for good measure?
Wright scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half to go with six rebounds and two assists; and Kennard Davis Jr. drained the final go-ahead 3-pointer with 1 minuted, 34 seconds remaining as BYU snapped a three-game losing skid with a 82-76 win over No. 10 Texas Tech in front of a sold-out crowd at the Marriott Center.
AJ Dybantsa added 21 points, six rebounds and four assists in what most assume to be the future NBA draft lottery pick’s final game in Provo, and Davis finished with 16 points for the Cougars (21-10, 9-9 Big 12).
Christian Anderson poured in 23 points, four rebounds and nine assists for Texas Tech; and Donovan Atwell added 23 points and six rebounds for the Red Raiders (22-9, 12-6 Big 12).
Jaylen Petty scored 14 points for Texas Tech, which made 16 3-pointers — but just 4-of-16 in the second half.
That’s when Wright to work, converting 7-of-10 field goals and all nine of his free-throw attempts as BYU rallied from as much as a 13-point deficit in the first half to help the Cougars to their first win over Texas Tech since Dec. 17, 1993.
With little to play for in the Big 12 Tournament beyond pride and a sendoff for four seniors, including injured star Richie Saunders, Texas Tech opened the regular-season finale with more of it.
Anderson dropped in five 3-pointers and six assists in the first half, and the Red Raiders shot 12-of-19 from deep to lead by as much as 13 before the break.
After a short run from BYU, Donovan Atwell hit Texas Tech’s eighth triple out of a media timeout, and Anderson added another of the Red Raiders’ 12 first-half 3-pointers to stretch the lead back to 37-27 en route to a 46-38 halftime advantage.
Davis had 13 points, including three of BYU’s five 3-pointers before the break; and Dybantsa added 10 points, three rebounds and two assists on 4-of-14 shooting for the Cougars before halftime.
BYU didn’t commit a turnover until Josiah Moseley’s steal with 15:52 remaining, and Wright capped a 13-6 run out of halftime to bring the Cougars all the way back within 52-51 a minute later.
Buoyed by a defense — there’s that word that seemed far-too-unfamiliar at times during the recent stretch of three-straight losses, or eight in the past 11 games — that held the Red Raiders to 2-of-6 shooting from the perimeter, Dybantsa converted a 3-point play to give BYU its first lead of the half, 58-57 with 11:23 remaining.
Wright scored 6 straight points, Dybantsa added 4 in a row, and Keita capped a 14-2 run that lifted the Cougars to their largest lead of the game, 74-66, with a 14-2 run with 4:42 remaining.
This story will be updated.
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