The search for answers in the aftermath of the deadly Central Texas flooding continues on NBC’s Dateline, Friday at 9 p.m. It will also stream later on Peacock. In “After the Flood,” Lester Holt speaks with eight mothers who lost their daughters during the July 4, 2025, catastrophic floodin g in the Texas Hill Country. The mothers open up together for the first time about their grief, their bond, and their investigation into what happened. In unison, the mothers tell Holt that the tragedy could have “100%” been averted and reveal that the owners of the camp, the Eastland family, remained virtually silent after the floods. Patricia Bellows, mother of Margaret, tells Holt that they “never received a debrief,” with Jennie Getten, mother of Ellen, adding, “they’ve never called us.” Reflecting on the support they have found in one another, Bellows explains that after the devastation, “the person you were before is gone. That person is dead.” During the one-hour broadcast, the Eastlands’ attorney spoke exclusively with Holt, arguing that nothing could have prepared the owners for what unfolded. When Holt asked why there was no specific flood policy in place, attorney Mikal Watts said there was, explaining: “You stay in the cabins until help can come and help you. Hundreds of girls’ lives were saved by that policy.” When Holt pressed him on whether he was defending the decision to keep campers inside the cabins during such a severe rain event, Watts replied, “It’s called shelter in place.” “After the Flood” also features interviews with Lindsey McCrory, who lost her daughter Blakely, as well as survivors of the flooding, including a 10-year-old camper and a camp counselor. The special will highlight the latest developments in the investigation, including news that Camp Mystic filed for bankruptcy. “I don’t think anyone can relate to what we’ve experienced except for the other 26 families. I have trouble relating to my best friends prior to July 4, hearing about their busy lives, their carpools,” Ellen Sheedy said. “That — that’s not my life anymore.” None of the 27 missing Camp Mystic campers and counselors survived. They’re known as Heaven’s 27 — 51 parents lost daughters that day. After their lives were shattered came the questions: Could this tragedy have been averted? Central Texas flooding Central Texas Flood Jun 24 Camp Mystic files for bankruptcy after catastrophic floods killed 28 people Central Texas Flood Jun 24 Camp Mystic files for bankruptcy after deadly Fourth of July floods Central Texas Flood Jun 24 What Camp Mystic's bankruptcy filing could mean for flood lawsuits ...read more read less