Mom Recalls Daughters' Rescue amid Flooding at Texas' Camp Mystic, Says Staff 'Should Have Been on Top of It'

Yahoo

2 days ago

A Texas mom recalled her daughters' rescue amid flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas on July 4
Serena Hanor Aldrich told the New York Times that her children hadn't shared a lot about what they experienced during the rescue, as dozens of other campers remain missing
Search and rescue efforts continue in the stateA mother is recalling her two daughters' rescue amid the catastrophic flooding that occurred at a Christian girls-only summer camp in Texas, as several other campers remain missing.
Speaking with the New York Times, Serena Hanor Aldrich said her daughters, ages 9 and 12, haven't shared a lot about what they experienced on Friday, July 4, before they were reunited with their mom after being rescued amid flooding at Camp Mystic — where nearly two dozen girls remain unaccounted for.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a press conference on July 4 that 23 girls out of 750 were missing from the camp near the Guadalupe River following flooding, per ABC affiliate WFAA.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry L. Leitha has since said that officials have recovered 27 total bodies across the area, including those of nine children. Over 850 people, meanwhile, have been evacuated or rescued in the area, per CNN.
Aldrich, who reunited with her two girls on the evening of July 4, told the Times that those running Camp Mystic "should have been watching the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Kerr County."
'They were posting stuff yesterday morning," the San Antonio-based lawyer added of flash flood warnings. "They should have been on top of it.'
The mother also told the outlet that her daughters were in two different sections of the camp when those on site had to search for higher ground to avoid the floods.
With her younger daughter in an area called the flats, and her older child at Senior Hill, she told the Times that her girls "came down when the water receded."
"And then they made it to one of the buildings that wasn't flooded anymore. They were up there for a couple of hours," Aldrich added of her kids' experience.
After Aldrich was informed her daughters were accounted for earlier in the day, she eventually reunited with them when they were taken to an elementary school in Ingram, which had been used as the reunification center for campers and parents.
While her girls appeared happy when reuniting with their mom, Aldrich told the Times that she isn't sure how the tragedy will impact them. 'There still are campers missing,' she said.
Among those who are reported missing are 8-year-old Hadley Hannah and Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner of Dallas, per WFAA. Kellyanne Lytal, Molly DeWitt, Janie Hunt and Lainey Landry — fellow camp members — also remain missing, KSAT, Fox 26 Houston and CNN reported, citing family members. WANE 15 reported that Greta Toranzo and Virginia Hollis are unaccounted for as well.
Renee Smajstrla, 8, meanwhile, has been confirmed dead by her family, according to The Washington Post.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement on July 4 that the state 'is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods.'
"Tonight, I signed a disaster declaration to ensure local officials have the resources to continue to respond to floods in the Hill Country," he wrote on X. "Texas will stop at nothing to ensure every missing person is fully accounted for."
Since the flooding took place, Texas officials pointed fingers at the National Weather Service (NWS) during search-and-rescue updates, according to Forbes, with W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, stating that the NWS didn't predict 'the amount of rain that we saw."
The NWS issued a flash flood warning on the afternoon of Thursday, July 3, which mentioned Kerr County, where flooding began, per Forbes.
Leitha confirmed during a Saturday, June 5, news conference that officials will continue to search for 'every single person' missing from the floods, per CNN.
'One thing I want to tell you and assure y'all is, that we will not stop until every single person is found — we've got all the resources we need,' he said.
'Tragic incidents like this affect us all. This community is strong and will continue to pull together during this tragic time,' Leitha added. 'We have been humbled by the outpouring of support; we are very appreciative everyone that's stepped up to help us.'
PEOPLE reached out to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) for updates on the missing girls on Saturday, July 5. PEOPLE contacted Camp Mystic for comment on July 4.
Read the original article on People