At least two of the missing girls from Camp Mystic were found dead during the overnight search and rescue operations in Texas on Friday, according to family and local reports. Renee Smajstrla, 8, and Janie Hunt, 9, were among as many as 25 campers swept away by the devastating flash floods in the Guadalupe River.
"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 wrote on Facebook along with a picture of the young girl.
Total Devastation in Texas
"We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville."
Janie was also found dead, according to Corpus Christi Crónica. The 9-year-old's mother told CNN on Friday that she hadn't received any information about her daughter's whereabouts since the flood struck the camp.
"We are just praying," Janie's mother had said.
It remains unclear whether any other campers have been confirmed dead, but local reports suggest that some of the girls were rescued and taken to centers where they could be reunited with their families.
So far, 24 people have been confirmed dead, including Heart O' the Hills Director Jane Ragsdale.
Between 23 and 25 girls from the Christian overnight camp—which welcomes girls aged 7 to 17—were carried away by the powerful floods early Friday morning, including several who had been inside cabins that were swept away.
Dramatic Rescue
A young girl was dramatically rescued after being swept 12 miles downstream by powerful floodwaters in Texas. Photos showed the terrified child clinging to tree branches as the swollen rapids surged below her.
According to News 4 San Antonio, the girl—whose identity has not yet been revealed—was eventually brought to safety.
In a separate video, a helicopter was seen airlifting someone to safety following the historic flooding that struck Texas on Thursday.
Kerr County was hit hard by the rapidly rising waters, which devastated a summer camp and left more than 25 girls missing.
The National Weather Service reported that the Guadalupe River—which runs alongside Camp Mystic in the San Antonio suburb of Hunt—surged over 20 feet within just 90 minutes, marking the worst flooding the area has experienced since 1987.
A flood warning was issued at 4 a.m., when most residents were still asleep.
Governor Greg Abbott said on Friday night that the death toll had climbed to 24, including several children, though he did not confirm if any of the missing campers were among the victims.
Search efforts continued into Saturday morning as rainfall continued across Hill County. Officials warned that the risk of additional flash flooding remained high, with alerts in place from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours.
The Guadalupe River also flooded parts of Kerr County in 1987, sweeping away a church bus and killing 10 teenagers.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said that the campgrounds currently lack an official warning system.
