The devastating flash floods in Texas have claimed the lives of at least two young girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp in Kerr County, Texas.
Renee Smajstrla, 8, and Janie Hunt, 9, were among the 23 to 25 girls swept away by the sudden flooding of the Guadalupe River in the early hours of Friday morning.
Renee’s death was confirmed by family in a heartfelt social media post:
“Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach. Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly,” her uncle posted, alongside a radiant photo of Renee.
“She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville.”
Janie Hunt, 9, was also confirmed dead by local outlet Corpus Christi Crónica, after her mother had spoken to CNN, saying she had no information about her daughter’s whereabouts:
“We are just praying,” Janie’s mother had said.
24 Confirmed Dead — Campers Still Missing
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed Friday night that the death toll had risen to 24, though he would not clarify whether any of the remaining missing campers were among the dead.
Local reports say some of the missing girls have been rescued, and were taken to family reunification centers, but many remain unaccounted for.
Camp Mystic, which serves girls aged 7 to 17, sits directly along the Guadalupe River in the community of Hunt, a suburb of San Antonio.
River Rose 20 Feet in 90 Minutes — No Warning System
The National Weather Service reported the Guadalupe River rose more than 20 feet in just 90 minutes, overtaking cabins and washing away campers in their sleep.
A flood alert wasn’t issued until 4 a.m., when most were still asleep.
“The campgrounds do not have a warning system in place,” Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly confirmed.
With continued rainfall and flood watches extending through the weekend, the danger is far from over, officials warn.
History Repeats Itself in Hill Country
This is not the first time tragedy has struck the Guadalupe River. In 1987, a similar flood overtook a church bus, killing 10 teenagers in Kerr County.
