A JUDGE has handed down a decision after mourning parents sued to shutter Camp Mystic – the Texas Christian camp where 25 girls tragically died in a flood on July 4.

Young girls and camp staff were among the dozens of people who lost their lives in the flash flood that saw the Guadalupe River outside San Antonio swell to disastrous levels.
Camp Mystic is embroiled in a legal battle with parents over whether it should open this summerCredit: Reuters
 

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Twenty-five girls and two counselors died in a devastating flood at the Christian summer camp outside San Antonio, TexasCredit: AFP
 

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Among the victims are (Top row left to right) Mary Grace Baker, Cile Steward, Virginia Hollis, Greta Toranzo, and (Bottom row left to right) Linnie McCown, Kellyanne Lytal, Margaret Sheedy, and Lainey LandryCredit: Supplied
 

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Camp Mystic Director Mary Liz Eastland was comforted during a hearing on WednesdayCredit: AP
The parents of Cile Steward, an eight-year-old who was swept away by the waters and whose body hasn’t been found, filed to close the camp for the foreseeable future.

But on Wednesday, a judge in Austin determined the camp should just preserve damaged cabins, and stopped short of forcing a closure, the Associated Press reported.

The parents feared construction or clean up of the camp could destroy evidence as their lawsuit is still pending.

Meanwhile, District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble said owners needed to leave the cabins closest to the river alone and avoid that part of the camp entirely.

Will Steward, Cile’s father, told reporters at the hearing, “What we’re trying to do is preserve the evidence that’s there so that we can understand, so that future campers will never be put in a situation like this again.”

One hundred thirty people died in the devastating floods which struck in the middle of the night when most residents were asleep.

At Camp Mystic, the waters rose from 14 feet to 29.5 feet within 60 minutes.

By the time they situation had become critical, many were left utterly trapped with first responders also barred from travel by rushing waters.

The abrupt and deadly disaster has raised urgent questions about the community’s preparedness – and whether Camp Mystic

Mikal Watts, an attorney representing Camp Mystic, explained why the campers weren’t evacuated in the court hearing on Wednesday.

“The worst thing you can do is put a bunch of 8-year-olds on a bus and try to drive them out of there,” he said.

“They all would have drowned.”

While the lawyers made their arguments, distraught family members of the victims packed the gallery and wore buttons with their pictures.

Camp Mystic counsel showed trees planted on the property in the girls’ honor and made their case as to why the camp should reopen.

They said 850 girls have already signed up for this summer, but stressed state regulators would still need to approve a license to operate.

Meanwhile Will and his wife Cici Steward have accused leaders of failing to right their wrongs and come up with a more robust safety plan.

“They didn’t have a plan, and they don’t have a plan moving forward,” Cici told the court.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick previously asked the court to stop Camp Mystic from opening as they investigate the deaths.

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