From NBC News: At least 20 girls are missing from an all-girls Christian summer camp in south Texas after catastrophic floods struck the area in the wake of severe overnight storms.
In a press conference Friday afternoon, Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, said “20-some” girls attending Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, remained unaccounted for, later estimating the figure was “about 23.”
At a separate press conference in Kerr County on Friday afternoon, County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha Jr. said there had been 13 fatalities, without offering additional information, and warned there could be more.
Patrick said victims, including children, had already been located, “some in cars washed out upstream.”
“We don’t know where those bodies came from,” he said, without ruling out that some may have come from the camp.
According to the latest reports, the death toll is now at 13, as of Friday evening. Lt. Gov. Patrick admitted that some of the bodies found could be some of the missing girls from the camp, but that has not been confirmed yet.
According to the report, about 750 girls, ages 7-17, were attending the summer camp, which is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. The facility is located near the Guadalupe River.
Authorities said the water rose as much as 22 feet in just a half an hour.
Patrick said about 400 to 500 rescue workers, along with 18 helicopters, are taking part in the search-and-rescue mission. Some people have already been rescued from trees, which they climbed to escape the floodwaters.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted a video of a helicopter rescuing someone from a tree and wrote, “Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock. We will not stop until everyone is accounted for.”
Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock.
We will not stop until everyone is accounted for. pic.twitter.com/tqwTr1RkEi
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 4, 2025
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) wrote on X Friday afternoon, “Please pray right now for everyone in the Hill Country, especially Camp Mystic. Today, I’ve spoken with Gov Abbott, Lt. Gov Patrick, the head of TDEM & President Trump. Multiple helicopters are performing search & rescue. President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs. 🙏🙏.”
Please pray right now for everyone in the Hill Country, especially Camp Mystic.
Today, I’ve spoken with Gov Abbott, Lt. Gov Patrick, the head of TDEM & President Trump.
Multiple helicopters are performing search & rescue. President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs. 🙏🙏
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 4, 2025
KHOU 11 News posted photos of some of the missing girls from the Christian camp:
News Channel 3 Now also posted details and photos on some of the missing girls.
Lila Bonner, Eloise Peck, Hadley Hanna, Kellyanne Lytal, Lainey Landry, Janie Hunt, Renee Smajstrla, Cile Steward, Virginia Hollis, Margaret Sheedy, Molly Dewitt, Anna Margaret Bellows, Blakely McCrory, Mary Grace Baker, Linnie McCown are missing in Texas Camp Mystic in flood pic.twitter.com/BCFL6Qg8Rb
— News Channel3 Now (@newschannel3now) July 4, 2025
Multiple families are missing as well:
Fox San Antonio meteorologist Brad Sowder posted the following video on Facebook:
Acting Governor Dan Patrick Statement on Hill Country and Concho Valley Flooding:#txlege pic.twitter.com/3lxF93juvB
— Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) July 4, 2025
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