In one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas Hill Country history, a catastrophic flash flood along the Guadalupe River has claimed the lives of at least 43 people, with 23 girls still missing from the iconic Camp Mystic summer program in Hunt, Kerr County, according to official updates from state and local authorities.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared Sunday, July 6, a statewide Day of Prayer for the victims, families, and communities devastated by the disaster. The rapidly rising waters that struck in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, July 4, left a trail of devastation that emergency crews are still grappling to understand—and contain.
Timeline of the Disaster
At approximately 3:10 a.m. Friday, a violent and sudden surge of water overtook the peaceful banks of the Guadalupe River. Fueled by record-setting rainfall overnight, the river rose 22 feet in just 30 minutes, overtopping its banks and sweeping through Camp Mystic, a beloved Christian all-girls summer camp that has stood in the Hill Country for nearly a century.
Camp cabins were lifted from their foundations, trees were uprooted, and entire sections of the facility were washed downstream in what authorities have described as a “500-year flood event.”
The Missing: Young Lives in Peril
Among the 23 missing campers are names now etched in the hearts of grieving Texans:
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Lila Bonner (9)
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Eloise Peck
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Hadley Hanna
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Kellyanne Lytal
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Lainey Landry
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Janie Hunt
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Renee Smajstrla
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Cile Steward
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Virginia Hollis
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Margaret Sheedy
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Molly Dewitt
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Anna Margaret Bellows
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Blakely McCrory
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Mary Grace Baker
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Linnie McCown
These girls, aged between 7 and 14, were reported to have been asleep in their cabins when the floodwaters arrived. Several were staying in a structure known as the “Bubble Inn,” believed to be directly in the path of the river’s heaviest surge.
“She was wearing her Camp Mystic T-shirt,” said a relative of 9-year-old Lila Bonner. “It’s how they found her.”
Lila’s body was located late Saturday evening, becoming one of the confirmed fatalities. Her family has requested privacy and prayers.
Rescue and Recovery: An Operation Without Precedent
This is now the largest multi-agency search and rescue operation ever mounted in Kerr County. Spearheaded by the Texas Department of Public Safety, aided by 18 helicopters, Coast Guard airboats, search-and-rescue K9 teams, local volunteers, and U.S. Army personnel, efforts continue around the clock.
“Some children were found clinging to treetops, others to debris or cabin roofs,” said DPS Director Freeman Martin. “We are doing everything we can, but we’re in a race against time.”
Road access to the camp remains compromised. The main entry route was washed out, cutting off power, water, and communications. Emergency teams had to airlift survivors and first responders in and out of the area.
Confusion and Communication Breakdown
The tragedy has been exacerbated by early misinformation. On Friday morning, Camp Mystic released a statement indicating that all campers had been accounted for. That report was later contradicted by dozens of families who said they had not been contacted, and that girls were missing.
State officials later clarified that only the families of confirmed missing campers had been notified, but spotty communication, poor cell reception, and confusion over rosters caused widespread panic.
As of Sunday afternoon, officials have confirmed 43 fatalities. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha noted that while the names of the dead are still being verified, “the number is almost certain to rise.”
Federal and State Response
Governor Dan Patrick deployed more than 500 emergency personnel by midday Friday, including:
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Texas DPS
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Texas Task Force 1
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Texas Military Department
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Coast Guard rapid-deploy teams
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FEMA advance crews
President Donald Trump, who was in Dallas at the time of the disaster, has pledged full federal support. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security have begun coordinating logistics, aerial mapping, and survivor tracking.
Senator Ted Cruz posted a heartfelt message on social media:
“Please pray for the families in the Texas Hill Country. Especially for the girls at Camp Mystic. Texas mourns with you.”
The Heartbreak of a Sacred Place
Founded in 1926, Camp Mystic is a near-sacred institution in Texas culture. Nestled along a bend of the Guadalupe River, the camp draws over 750 girls each summer from across the state and beyond.
Activities range from horseback riding and canoeing to devotionals, scripture study, and traditional bonding rituals. Mystic’s motto, “Friends for Life,” now carries a somber double meaning.
One parent, whose daughter was rescued from a treetop, described the camp’s serenity before the storm:
“It’s always been a safe, holy place. A little corner of joy on the river. We never imagined this.”
Unanswered Questions and Demands for Accountability
The disaster has triggered urgent scrutiny into:
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Whether Camp Mystic received timely warnings
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If adequate evacuation plans were in place
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Why cabins were located so close to the river
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How flood risk is managed for youth camps statewide
While the National Weather Service had issued a flood watch, there are questions about whether the severity of the storm was forecast accurately, and if emergency communications reached camp administrators in time.
“We need to understand why a camp housing hundreds of children was caught so unprepared,” said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly. “We owe that to every family who sent a daughter to Mystic with love and trust.”
A State United in Mourning
In a rare show of bipartisan unity, Texas leaders from both sides of the political aisle have called for a statewide moment of silence. Churches across Texas, including The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin, have held vigils, attended by both survivors and grieving families.
“We held hands, we cried, and we prayed,” said Rev. Paige Alvarez Hanks, who led one such vigil. “And then the flash flood alerts went off—right in the middle of it. There is sorrow everywhere.”
Where the Rescue Stands Now
As of 5:00 p.m. Sunday, operations continue across a 40-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River, from Hunt to Comfort. Divers are checking submerged structures, and cadaver dogs are being deployed along debris piles.
The Guadalupe River remains dangerously swollen, and more rain is forecast in the coming 48 hours.
Officials urge the public to avoid all travel near the flood zone, refrain from speculation, and to report any sightings or leads related to the missing girls to the Kerr County Emergency Management hotline.
A Day of Prayer, and the Long Road Ahead
Governor Abbott’s Day of Prayer has been met with overwhelming support. Churches, synagogues, and mosques from Houston to El Paso have committed to dedicating Sunday services to the victims and first responders.
Flags are flying at half-staff in Kerr, Travis, and Bexar counties.
As night falls over a grieving state, what remains are:
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23 empty bunks
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43 lives lost
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A river that now carries not just water, but memory
For those families, like the Bonners, the Hunts, the Sheedys, and the McCowns—each minute is agony, each name spoken a prayer. What was meant to be a week of childhood wonder has turned into an era-defining tragedy.
If you have any verified information about missing persons in the Kerrville-Hunt region, please contact:
Kerr County Emergency Management at (830) 257-7900.