Breaking From Texas: Rescuers Find Girl Hiding in Tree Branch Over Floodwater — Her Watch Camera Captured the Exact Moment the Other 26 Texas Girls Vanished
On July 4, 2025, Central Texas faced a catastrophic flash flood that transformed the Guadalupe River into a deadly force, claiming at least 43 lives and leaving Kerr County in disarray. Amid the devastation, a 12-year-old girl named Sarah, a camper at Camp Mystic, was found clinging to a cypress tree branch above raging floodwaters near Kerrville. Her smartwatch, equipped with a camera, captured critical footage that may hold clues to the disappearance of 26 other girls from the camp, offering a glimmer of hope in a tragedy that has gripped the nation.
The flood struck with unprecedented ferocity, with nearly a foot of rain falling in hours, causing the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas, hosting 750 girls, was caught in the deluge. Cabins were swept away, and chaos ensued as counselors and campers scrambled to safety. Sarah, separated from her group, was swept downstream but managed to grab a sturdy branch. Local resident Carl Jeter, 70, spotted her while checking his property. “She was high up, dodging debris—RVs, refrigerators, you name it,” Jeter recounted. Boerne and Center Point fire departments deployed boats, tossing her a life jacket before safely guiding her to a raft.
Sarah’s smartwatch footage, recovered post-rescue, revealed a harrowing sequence. At 1:30 a.m., as floodwaters breached her cabin, the camera captured girls screaming and water surging through windows. The footage shows Sarah and her cabinmates attempting to flee before she was swept away, ending with her clinging to the tree in darkness. The video offers no clear answers about the 26 missing girls but suggests they were carried downstream. Texas Rangers and FBI analysts are studying the footage, hoping to pinpoint where the current may have taken them.
The floods, the worst in Kerr County in decades, killed 15 children and left 27 Camp Mystic girls unaccounted for initially. Rescue operations, involving 167 helicopters, drones, and K-9 units, have been relentless. Governor Greg Abbott expanded the state’s disaster declaration, vowing, “We’re not stopping until every missing person is found.” The National Weather Service noted that river gauges failed after recording a 29.5-foot crest, underscoring the flood’s intensity. Kerrville, a tight-knit community, has rallied, with the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund raising thousands to aid victims.
Sarah’s survival is a testament to resilience. Her family, reunited at Ingram Elementary School, expressed gratitude but requested privacy. Social media has been flooded with photos of the missing girls, as families plead for information. The smartwatch footage, now a critical investigative tool, has shifted search efforts downstream, with teams combing riverbanks and debris fields. Volunteers, including local ranchers and church groups, have joined first responders, braving treacherous conditions.
The emotional toll on Kerrville is palpable. Mayor Joe Herring Jr. described the community as “heartbroken but determined.” Schools and churches have become shelters and reunification centers, with Arcadia Live hosting families awaiting news. The flood’s aftermath has exposed vulnerabilities in low-lying areas, prompting calls for improved flood defenses. Meteorologists warn of more rain, adding urgency to the searches.
Sarah’s story has inspired hope, but the mystery of the 26 missing girls looms large. Her footage, though grainy, is a haunting record of the flood’s chaos, and investigators are cross-referencing it with river flow models. The community clings to faith, with prayer vigils held nightly. As Texas grapples with this tragedy, Sarah’s survival and her smartwatch’s clues keep the search alive, with the nation praying for more miracles in the Hill Country.