Texas Officials’ Uncertainty Surrounding Campers’ Situation During Flooding
The first 911 call from the historic Camp Mystic on the Guadalupe River came in at 3:57 a.m. A caller reported being stranded on a hill as cabins around her filled with water. Tragically, the rising river swept away Camp Mystic’s owner and his son, along with several campers, according to the family’s lawyer.
However, it wasn’t until 6:34 a.m.—over two hours later—that a Kerr County sheriff’s office captain sent the first text message to emergency response leaders, highlighting potential “issues” at Camp Mystic. As the hours passed and access to the camp remained blocked, the text exchanges revealed a chaotic situation, with officials receiving inconsistent information about the number of missing individuals.
“NO confirmed dead bodies at Mystic, only searching,” Texas Ranger Chad Matlock texted the group just before 7 p.m. This message was part of a series of frantic communications among senior leaders in the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office during the devastating July 4 flood, newly released through a public records request.
The text thread, which included Sheriff Larry Leitha and County Emergency Management Coordinator William “Dub” Thomas, illustrated the confusion faced by those responsible for managing the disaster. It appears this was the primary method of communication among the command staff, although the extent of other discussions—whether in person or by phone—remains unclear.
At least seven phone numbers in the group were not identified in the records. Matlock’s number was confirmed through voicemail by the Department of Public Safety.
The Texas Newsroom and Texas Tribune reached out to county officials for clarification on the communications but received no response. Mikal Watts, the lawyer for Camp Mystic and the owner’s family, stated that the camp was focused on caring for the surviving girls and coordinating with first responders to search downstream.
The timeline of the flooding began with the first 911 call at 2:52 a.m., when the general manager of a local inn warned of “a big flood coming.” As calls surged, dispatchers initially assured panicked callers that help was on the way. However, by 3:50 a.m., one dispatcher admitted to a caller that assistance might not arrive in time.
At 4:40 a.m., an alert was sent through the Code Red system, warning residents in the area to evacuate or seek higher ground. This alert reached 1,113 users, according to records obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly later testified that he didn’t wake up until an hour or two after the initial calls. At 6:27 a.m., he emailed Thomas, inquiring about storm damage while he was at Lake Travis for the holiday. He expressed concern over reports of flooding in Kerr County and questioned the need for an emergency declaration.
By 6:33 a.m., the text thread named COMMAND CHAT – FloodEvent began among Kerr County Sheriff’s Office leaders, with Captain Clint Massingill already focused on Camp Mystic. At this point, the river had surged to dangerous levels, peaking in Kerrville around 6:45 a.m. at over 35 feet.
As the situation unfolded, officials struggled to ascertain the reality at Camp Mystic. By 11:05 a.m., Matlock indicated that a helicopter was en route to assess the situation. Before noon, local officials held their first press conference, where Judge Kelly mentioned having “some numbers” of the missing but refrained from sharing specifics.
As concern grew over the fate of hundreds of children at Camp Mystic, even Governor Greg Abbott demanded information. The officials on the text thread were aware that phone lines were down and cell service was nonexistent at the camp, complicating their efforts to locate the missing campers.
Approximately 11 hours after the first 911 call, plans were made to evacuate what was believed to be around 200 girls. However, officials debated whether to prioritize evacuation or search for the missing. By 3 p.m., a second press conference revealed that the death toll had risen to 13, but the number of missing remained uncertain.
As the day progressed, the situation continued to evolve. By 5:17 p.m., Massingill updated the text thread with a new estimate of the dead: 16. The urgency of the situation was palpable, with officials coordinating efforts to rescue children from Camp Mystic.
Ultimately, the flood claimed 119 lives across the county, with over a fifth of those fatalities occurring at Camp Mystic, where 25 campers, two counselors, and the camp owner, Dick Eastland, tragically lost their lives.
Photo: Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt on July 5, 2025. Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune
The first 911 call from the historic Camp Mystic on the Guadalupe River came in at 3:57 a.m. A caller reported being stranded on a hill as cabins around her filled with water. Tragically, the rising river swept away Camp Mystic’s owner and his son, along with several campers, according to the family’s lawyer.
However, it wasn’t until 6:34 a.m.—over two hours later—that a Kerr County sheriff’s office captain sent the first text message to emergency response leaders, highlighting potential “issues” at Camp Mystic. As the hours passed and access to the camp remained blocked, the text exchanges revealed a chaotic situation, with officials receiving inconsistent information about the number of missing individuals.
“NO confirmed dead bodies at Mystic, only searching,” Texas Ranger Chad Matlock texted the group just before 7 p.m. This message was part of a series of frantic communications among senior leaders in the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office during the devastating July 4 flood, newly released through a public records request.
The text thread, which included Sheriff Larry Leitha and County Emergency Management Coordinator William “Dub” Thomas, illustrated the confusion faced by those responsible for managing the disaster. It appears this was the primary method of communication among the command staff, although the extent of other discussions—whether in person or by phone—remains unclear.
At least seven phone numbers in the group were not identified in the records. Matlock’s number was confirmed through voicemail by the Department of Public Safety.
The Texas Newsroom and Texas Tribune reached out to county officials for clarification on the communications but received no response. Mikal Watts, the lawyer for Camp Mystic and the owner’s family, stated that the camp was focused on caring for the surviving girls and coordinating with first responders to search downstream.
The timeline of the flooding began with the first 911 call at 2:52 a.m., when the general manager of a local inn warned of “a big flood coming.” As calls surged, dispatchers initially assured panicked callers that help was on the way. However, by 3:50 a.m., one dispatcher admitted to a caller that assistance might not arrive in time.
At 4:40 a.m., an alert was sent through the Code Red system, warning residents in the area to evacuate or seek higher ground. This alert reached 1,113 users, according to records obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly later testified that he didn’t wake up until an hour or two after the initial calls. At 6:27 a.m., he emailed Thomas, inquiring about storm damage while he was at Lake Travis for the holiday. He expressed concern over reports of flooding in Kerr County and questioned the need for an emergency declaration.
By 6:33 a.m., the text thread named COMMAND CHAT – FloodEvent began among Kerr County Sheriff’s Office leaders, with Captain Clint Massingill already focused on Camp Mystic. At this point, the river had surged to dangerous levels, peaking in Kerrville around 6:45 a.m. at over 35 feet.
As the situation unfolded, officials struggled to ascertain the reality at Camp Mystic. By 11:05 a.m., Matlock indicated that a helicopter was en route to assess the situation. Before noon, local officials held their first press conference, where Judge Kelly mentioned having “some numbers” of the missing but refrained from sharing specifics.
As concern grew over the fate of hundreds of children at Camp Mystic, even Governor Greg Abbott demanded information. The officials on the text thread were aware that phone lines were down and cell service was nonexistent at the camp, complicating their efforts to locate the missing campers.
Approximately 11 hours after the first 911 call, plans were made to evacuate what was believed to be around 200 girls. However, officials debated whether to prioritize evacuation or search for the missing. By 3 p.m., a second press conference revealed that the death toll had risen to 13, but the number of missing remained uncertain.
As the day progressed, the situation continued to evolve. By 5:17 p.m., Massingill updated the text thread with a new estimate of the dead: 16. The urgency of the situation was palpable, with officials coordinating efforts to rescue children from Camp Mystic.
Ultimately, the flood claimed 119 lives across the county, with over a fifth of those fatalities occurring at Camp Mystic, where 25 campers, two counselors, and the camp owner, Dick Eastland, tragically lost their lives.
Photo: Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt on July 5, 2025. Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune
