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Key Takeaways

  • Security guard testified an earlier evacuation order from camp management could have saved lives.
  • Camp reportedly lacked formal emergency evacuation training for staff and campers prior to the flood.
  • Lawyers for victims' families allege negligence based on the absence of a detailed evacuation plan and delayed orders to leave cabins.
  • A judge's order to preserve evidence for pending lawsuits against the camp is currently under appeal, indicating ongoing legal contention.
  • A state-approved emergency notice instructed campers to remain in cabins until staff directions, complicating liability discussions.
Hey, let's talk about that Camp Mystic situation. You might remember the devastating flood last year on the Guadalupe River that tragically claimed lives. Now, new details are coming out from the legal battle, and it really shines a light on some serious questions about responsibility and safety. A security guard, Glenn Juenke, who was there the night of the flood, recently testified. He told the court that if camp operators had issued a general evacuation order earlier, it's pretty likely lives could have been saved. That's a huge statement, pointing right at potential negligence. Juenke himself managed to move some girls to a two-story building and even saved a group by telling them to run for higher ground as the water rose. He ended up trapped in a cabin, but the girls he was with, who clung to air mattresses for hours, all survived. It was a terrifying night for everyone involved. This testimony happened during a three-day hearing. On one side, you have the camp operators, who are trying to get the all-girls Christian camp back open this summer. On the other, you've got the families of the victims who died. You can imagine how upset they are about the camp wanting to reopen so soon, especially with so many unanswered questions. What's interesting is that Juenke, who was called as a witness for the camp, said his decision to tell campers to run uphill was his own. He specifically stated it wasn't an order from camp directors or other authorities. And here's the kicker: he didn't recall the camp ever training campers, counselors, or staff on where to go during an emergency evacuation. Think about that from a legal angle. A notice posted in cabins, which had passed state inspection just two days before the flood, actually told campers to *stay* in their cabins until staff gave instructions. But if no instructions came, or if they came too late, that's a serious problem for the camp. A judge has already ordered the camp to preserve damaged areas. That means keeping things as they are so they can be used as evidence in the lawsuits that are piling up. That ruling is currently being appealed, which just shows how contentious this whole situation is. Lawyers for the families are really focusing on this lack of a detailed evacuation plan and the delay in telling people to get out. One attorney put it bluntly: "You can blame it on Mother Nature or God Almighty, but if anyone had used the speakers or walkie talkie and told them to leave before 3 (am), they would've survived." That's a claim of direct causation, which is central to proving negligence. In total, 25 campers and two teenage counselors died. The camp's co-owner also passed away. Juenke defended his actions, saying, "We did everything we could do in the time that we had." But when a security guard says an early order could have saved lives, it definitely raises tough questions about the camp's duty of care and its emergency preparedness policies.