5 girls from Camp Mystic among dozens dead in Texas floods, search intensifies for missing children

KERR COUNTY, TEXAS: A summer camp turned into a heartbreaking nightmare in Kerr County, Texas, where officials confirmed on July 5 that at least 43 people are dead and 27 young girls remain missing after a sudden flash flood tore through the area.

Among the worst hit was Camp Mystic, a private all-girls Christian retreat located in Hunt, Texas.

Death toll rises at Camp Mystic

It all began to unfold as reports came in from Camp Mystic, where five young girls lost their lives. One of the victims was Janie Hunt, as confirmed by her grieving mom, Anne Hunt, in a statement to Fox News.

Another name to emerge was Renee Smajstrla, identified by the nonprofit A Voice for the Voiceless, which advocates for the missing and crime victims. 

Two best friends, Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck, were the most recent young campers found dead, according to FOX 4 Dallas. The two girls had just finished second grade at Bradfield Elementary.

A fifth camper has also been confirmed dead, though the family has chosen to keep her name private.

Out of the 43 victims confirmed as of this writing, 28 are adults and 15 are children, according to officials. Tragically, five adults and three children remain unidentified. As of July 5, 27 campers are still missing. In total, 750 campers were on site when the storm hit.

"Nobody saw this coming," Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly lamented. He also spoke to the pain of witnessing “many of the body bags” at local funeral homes.

Heart O’ the Hills camp director among victims

Jane Ragsdale, the beloved camp director and co-owner of the nearby camp Heart O’ the Hills, was also confirmed dead. 

Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas) shared aerial photos from a helicopter tour, showing buildings and trees either flattened or swept away entirely. Fortunately, no children were staying at Heart O’ the Hills when the flood hit, as the camp was between sessions.

“We at the camp are stunned and deeply saddened by Jane’s death. She embodied the spirit of Heart O’ the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer," the camp said in a statement. 

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, “Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. God bless the families, and god bless Texas!”

Families wait in agony while helicopters rush to save lives

As the disaster unfolded, anxious families gathered at reunification centers set up at Ingram Elementary School and Arcadia Live Theater. Camp Mystic informed parents that if they hadn’t been contacted directly, it meant their child was safe. 

But the wait has been torturous for parents like Ellen Toranzo. Her daughter, Greta Toranzo, is still missing as of this writing.

So is Hadley Hanna, whose mother, Carrie Hanna, confirmed she is missing. Both girls remained unaccounted for as of Saturday, July 5 afternoon.

One survivor, 13-year-old Elinor Lester, told the Associated Press how she and her cabinmates were rescued by helicopter after wading through floodwaters. She said the “camp was completely destroyed."

Lester had been on Senior Hill, the higher part of the camp. But younger campers, some as young as 8, were placed in cabins along the riverbanks, which were the first to flood.

The culprit appears to be a sudden rise in the Guadalupe River, which surged nearly 30 feet in just 45 minutes after heavy rain hit on July 4 morning.

State and federal response intensifies as search efforts press on

The scale of the disaster called for more than just a local response. The National Guard was activated, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed that US Coast Guard teams were instrumental in saving or assisting in saving 223 lives.

By Saturday, July 5 morning, officials had evacuated more than 850 people, including 167 by helicopter and treated eight injured victims, according to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office. Authorities also cleared a massive 300-foot radius on both sides of the Guadalupe River, spanning from one mile north of Camp Mystic through Hunt and Ingram.

Governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas had deployed 1,300 state responders and more than 800 vehicles and equipment assets. He also signed a federal disaster declaration and declared an emergency in 15 counties.

“This is a time when we, as a state, need God more than ever,” Abbott said in a statement. “The one thing I hear the most are the prayers that are being sent for those who are in harm’s way.”

Additional aircraft have been requested for the search, and officials have vowed not to stop until every missing person is found. Meanwhile, in Travis County, about three hours away, floods claimed four more lives.

Vice President JD Vance mourned on X, “Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans.”

As of 6 pm local time Saturday, July 5, more than 600 customers with the Kerrville Public Utility Board remained without power. For families still searching for loved ones, the Kerr County Sheriff's Office has urged them to call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.

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