logo
Lila Bonner, 1 of the Young Girls Who Went Missing from Texas Camp amid Catastrophic Floods, Confirmed Dead: 'Unimaginable Grief'

Lila Bonner, 1 of the Young Girls Who Went Missing from Texas Camp amid Catastrophic Floods, Confirmed Dead: 'Unimaginable Grief'

Yahoo15 hours ago
The body of Lila Bonner, one of the missing campers at Camp Mystic in Texas, has been found, her family confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE on July 5
Lila was one of the more than 20 children at the all-girls Christian camp who went missing following the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County on July 4
Lila's family shared that they are 'heartbroken' by the news and requested privacyThe body of Lila Bonner, one of the young campers who went missing following the recent Texas floods, has been found, her family confirmed to PEOPLE.
'The family of Lila James Bonner is heartbroken to confirm the news of her loss,' the family said in a statement on Saturday, July 5. 'In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time.'
'We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss,' they added.
Lila was among more than 20 campers who went missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp near the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, following catastrophic flooding on Friday, July 4. Floods in the river caused it to reach its second-highest level ever, according to ABC News.
Lila was staying in the same cabin as fellow camper Eloise Peck, who currently remains missing, according to the New York Post.
The family of Janie Hunt, another young camper, confirmed her death in a statement to PEOPLE, sharing, 'We are devastated."
Shawn Salta, the uncle of 8-year-old camper Renee Smajstrla, confirmed that she had been found dead to The Washington Post on July 5. Salta also shared an emotional Facebook post about Renee's death.
'Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach,' he wrote alongside a photo of his late niece. '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.'
'We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday,' he continued. 'She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville.'
Camp members Kellyanne Lytal, Molly DeWit and Lainey Landry are still missing, according to various family members, per KSAT, Fox 26 Houston and CNN.
Greta Toranzo and Virginia Hollis, who both attended the camp, also remain unaccounted for, WANE 15 reported.
KSAT previously reported that there was an overnight evacuation of Camp Mystic after the flooding.
In a statement on July 4, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state 'is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods.'
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
'The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms,' he continued. 'I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas.'
PEOPLE has reached out to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) for an update on the remaining missing campers.
In the latest update, authorities said that more than 850 people have been rescued following the floods, and 32 people have been confirmed dead, per Reuters.
Read the original article on People
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

An Alabama elementary student and a camp director among those killed in devasting Texas floods
An Alabama elementary student and a camp director among those killed in devasting Texas floods

Washington Post

time2 hours ago

  • Washington Post

An Alabama elementary student and a camp director among those killed in devasting Texas floods

A beloved director of Texas summer camp for girls. An Alabama elementary student away from home. A woman found dead after an intensive search. These are a few of the dozens of victims lost in devastating flooding in Texas. The flooding in central Texas originated from the fast-moving waters on the Guadalupe River on Friday, killing more than 50 people, including 15 children. Authorities say search and rescue efforts are still underway for dozens missing from a summer camp for girls.

The race for Texas Attorney General is wide open and other changes ahead at the Capitol
The race for Texas Attorney General is wide open and other changes ahead at the Capitol

CBS News

time7 hours ago

  • CBS News

The race for Texas Attorney General is wide open and other changes ahead at the Capitol

For the first time in more than a decade, there will be a vacancy at the Texas Attorney General's Office. Now that Ken Paxton is running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate against incumbent John Cornyn, multiple candidates have either announced their campaigns to become the state's top prosecutor while others have said they're strongly considering jumping into the race. Three Republicans have entered the race so far: State Senator Mayes Middleton of Galveston, who's pledged to spend $10 million dollars of his own money. Another State Senator, Joan Huffman of Houston, a former criminal court judge, is also in the race, and Aaron Reitz, who worked briefly in the Trump administration, and has worked for Paxton is running as well. In the Democratic primary, reports indicate State Senator Nathan Johnson of Dallas and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski, who ran four years ago, may run for Attorney General. As we've reported, the race for Texas Comptroller next year is accelerating as well. Three candidates are running in the Republican primary: Hancock will face former State Senator Don Huffines of Dallas and Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick. Glenn Hegar, who served as Comptroller for a decade, is now the Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. The Texas Tribune reports that State Representative Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, is considering running in the Democratic primary for that office. The political dominoes are also falling inside the Texas Senate. In North Texas, there are two openings in Republican-held seats. Party activist Leigh Wambsganss is running for State Senate District 9 in Tarrant County after Senator Kelly Hancock resigned to become the Acting Texas Comptroller. Initially, State Representative Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, announced he was running for the special election to fill that seat, but he changed his mind, and instead is running for re-election. Governor Abbott called for a special election on November 4. In Senate District 22, Republican State Representative David Cook announced he is running to succeed Senator Brian Birdwell who announced he won't run for re-election. Earlier this year, Cook ran unsuccessfully for Speaker of the House. While Cook received a lot of support from House Republicans, he was defeated by Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock. Speaker Burrows has been endorsed by President Trump for his seat next year.

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance
Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

Fox News

time11 hours ago

  • Fox News

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

The Trump administration is taking a "zero tolerance" approach to attacks on law enforcement after a Texas police officer was shot outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. The message came after similar incidents in other cities amid backlash against President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agency. An Alvarado, Texas, police officer was shot Friday night near the Prairieland Detention Facility, authorities said. "We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the [US Attorney offices] and our law enforcement partners," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on X. "The Department [of Justice] has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible," he added. In Alvarado, a suburb of Fort Worth, several suspects were arrested after an officer with the Alvarado Police Department was shot at around 11 p.m. while responding to reports of a suspicious person, FOX Dallas reported. When the officer tried making contact with the person, shots were fired and the officer was struck in the neck. The officer was flown to a Fort Worth hospital for treatment and was later released. Several armed suspects fled but were arrested with the help of the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and other authorities, the news station reported.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store