At least two of the missing Camp Mystic girls were found dead during Friday’s overnight search and rescue in Texas, according to family and local reports.
Renee Smajstrla, 8, and Janie Hunt, 9, were among as many as 25 campers who were washed away in the deadly Guadalupe River flash floods.
“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 beaming.
“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 discovered dead, according to Corpus Christi Crónica.
The 9-year-old’s mother had told CNN Friday that she had not heard anything about her daughter’s whereabouts after the flood hit the camp.
“We are just praying,” Janie’s mother had said.
It is not clear if any of the other campers had been found dead, but local reports indicate that some of the girls were rescued and were transported to family reunification centers.
Between 23 and 25 girls at the Christian sleep-away camp, which serves girls between the ages of 7 and 17, were swept away by the dangerous floods early Friday morning — including some who were in cabins that were washed out.
The Guadalupe River — on which Camp Mystic is perched in the San Antonio suburb of Hunt — rose more than 20 feet in just 90 minutes, the National Weather Service reported, a level of flooding the area hasn’t seen since 1987.
A flood alert went out at 4 a.m. when most people were sleeping.
Gov. Greg Abbott revealed Friday night that the death toll had surged to 24, including children, but would not say whether any of the missing campers were among the dead.
Searches went on Saturday morning as rain continued to fall across Hill County, with officials warning of the ongoing threat for possible flash flooding extended from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours.
The Guadalupe River previously flooded across Kerr County in 1987, overtaking a church bus and killing 10 teenagers.
The campgrounds do not have a warning system in place, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said.
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