AUSTIN (KXAN) — Family members have confirmed that multiple young girls attending Camp Mystic, a beloved Hill Country summer camp, did not survive the catastrophic flooding that struck the area over the July 4th weekend.
Officials said the nearly 100-year-old camp, located along the Guadalupe River, was hosting roughly 750 children at the time. During a Saturday night press conference, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said 23 girls from the camp were unaccounted for and that search and rescue teams planned to continue working through the night.
The family of camper Lila Bonner confirmed to KXAN on Sunday that she was among those killed in the flooding. In a statement, her family said, “We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss.”
Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that first responders have rescued more than 850 people in the last 36 hours. State and local officials have not released the names of those believed to be dead. Officials said 32 people have died, including 14 children. Three of those children have not yet been identified.
“The rescue has gone as good as can be expected. Now it’s time for the recovery,” Kerr County Judge Roy Kelly said. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd said on Sunday that his team is still searching for people who may be alive, and the search is being conducted along the length of the Guadalupe River, both in the water, in the air, and on the ground.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, posted on X, “So many lives lost. Others unaccounted for […] We are offering condolences, praying with the grieving, and giving thanks for the rescued.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.