Travis County residents Clarke and Katherine Baker have taken legal action against Camp Mystic LLC and the Eastland family, the camp’s owners, claiming the deadly July 2025 flood that claimed their daughter Mary Grace Baker’s life was preventable.
Allegations of negligence
The Bakers assert that Camp Mystic failed to provide adequate training, safety measures, and evacuation protocols for its youngest campers. Their complaint describes how the camp prioritized “operational convenience and profits over children’s lives,” leading to the loss of Mary Grace and 26 others in what the community has come to call “Heaven’s 27.”
Family’s motivation
In a news release, Clarke Baker said, “We are not filing today out of anger. We are filing out of love — for our daughter, and for every child who deserves to come home from summer camp alive and unharmed.” The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, survival claims, and exemplary damages, and it requests a jury trial.
Legal representation
The Bakers are represented by attorney Tim Ferguson of a Beaumont‑based law firm. Ferguson emphasized that the tragedy was not an unforeseeable act of nature, stating, “What happened at Camp Mystic was preventable, and no family should have to bury their daughter because a family‑owned camp put other priorities ahead of children’s safety.”
Camp’s financial backdrop
Complicating the case, the Eastland family recently lost control of key bankruptcy decisions for the camp’s 749‑acre property. A federal judge appointed independent fiduciaries Mark Andrews and retired Judge Craig A. Gargotta to oversee the Chapter 11 reorganization filed in June. The Eastlands have proposed selling the property in September.
Community impact
The lawsuit has drawn attention to safety standards at youth camps across Texas. Local parents and community leaders are calling for stricter oversight and clearer emergency‑response plans to protect children in remote camp settings.
Next steps
The case will proceed in Travis County court, where the Bakers hope their legal action will bring transparency and accountability to Camp Mystic and similar facilities. As the litigation moves forward, the family’s primary goal remains clear: to ensure that no other family endures the loss they have suffered.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
