New information reveals that Camp Mystic co-owner Richard “Dick” Eastland waited more than 45 minutes to begin evacuating campers after receiving a National Weather Service (NWS) alert warning of “life-threatening” flash floods, as reported by The New York Post.
The flood event later claimed the lives of 27 children and counselors at the all-girls Christian camp in Hunt, Texas.
According to a spokesperson for the Eastland family, Jeff Carr, Eastland received the emergency alert on his phone at approximately 1:14 a.m.
The evacuation of campers to higher ground reportedly did not begin until around 2:00 a.m., shortly before conditions began to deteriorate rapidly along the Guadalupe River.
Richard “Dick” Eastland and his wife, Tweety (not pictured), purchased Camp Mystic in 1974 to be a wonderful place where Christian girls could visit, make friends, and learn about Jesus.
On the still dark morning of July 4, he rushed to the banks of Lake Guadalupe to rescue… pic.twitter.com/N1UtUT8P86 — Jennifer Greenberg 🕊️ (@JennMGreenberg) July 6, 2025
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Carr explained that Eastland began communicating immediately with family members working at the camp via walkie-talkie after receiving the alert. However, he stated that the alert did not specifically include an evacuation directive.
“They had no information that indicated the magnitude of what was coming,” Carr said.
“They got a standard, run-of-the-mill NWS warning that they’ve seen dozens of times before,” Carr told ABC News. He added that the decision to move campers came when the staff visually confirmed the floodwaters rising, at which point they began relocating individuals to higher ground.
Carr also emphasized that the timeline of events remains preliminary and was constructed based on accounts from family members who were on-site and actively involved in the evacuation efforts.
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“They started moving campers to higher ground when they saw the floodwaters,” he said.
The timeline was released by the Eastland family in an effort to provide transparency and address growing speculation surrounding the response to the deadly flash floods.
⚠️ WARNING: This post contains graphic descriptions of fatalities. The beloved director of Camp Mystic, Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, died on July 4 while trying to rescue campers from horrific flooding at the private all-girls Christian camp in Hunt, Texas. A family spokesperson… pic.twitter.com/tN4QhVknin
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) July 16, 2025
The disaster resulted in the deaths of 27 campers and staff members and has prompted questions about emergency protocols and communication at the camp.
Camp Mystic, a private Christian camp for girls located on the Guadalupe River, has been in operation for generations.
The flash flooding incident has sparked renewed scrutiny on camp preparedness and the effectiveness of early warning systems, particularly in areas prone to sudden severe weather events.
Authorities and emergency response teams continue to assess the situation and investigate the circumstances surrounding the delayed evacuation.
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