False Report of Girls Rescued from Flooded Trees in Texas Negotiated

Texas Congressman Chip Roy announced that the widely circulated story about two girls surviving by hanging onto a tree amidst floods was inaccurate. The story, which gained attention on social media, claimed that the girls were rescued after being stranded 30 feet up a tree in Comfort, Texas, part of Kendall County, over 15 miles from Kerrville where the flood resulted in 59 fatalities.

The account originated from a Facebook video by Cord Shiflet, an Austin resident involved in debris removal efforts, who stated that the girls had been found clinging to the tree. However, authorities clarified that this story was not true, and the rescue never happened as reported.

Flooded river with submerged trees and debris — Initial reports of girls rescued from a tree following flooding in Texas proved to be false.

So far, the floods have resulted in at least 80 deaths across Texas, with Kerr County suffering the greatest loss — 68 fatalities. Search efforts continue for 10 missing girls from Camp Mystic, along with one counselor, amid ongoing rescue operations for over 850 people in the first 36 hours of the disaster.

Aerial view of flash flooding in Comfort, Texas, showing debris and flooded roads — The floods caused the death of at least 69 people statewide.

The flooding was triggered when the Guadalupe River burst its banks following intense rainfall that rapidly raised water levels, sweeping through campsites and cabins during the Independence Day weekend. Authorities have recovered 70 victims and rescued over 850 individuals across four counties.

Ongoing and Future Challenges

Among the victims, 21 are children, including five girls from Camp Mystic who were sleeping close to the river. Many campsites could not evacuate in time as the floodwaters overwhelmed the area.

Drone view of floodwaters and fallen trees in Ingram, Texas — More bodies were found near the area where the rescued girls were reported, with a total of four additional victims recovered in the same vicinity.

In some camps, such as Camp La Junta, firsthand accounts describe sudden flooding as campers awoke to rising waters, with some forced to swim out of their cabins to reach high ground. Despite the chaos, all campers at La Junta are confirmed safe. Meanwhile, the youngest girls at Camp Mystic were found to have been sleeping just feet from the riverbank, with the entire site now destroyed. Ongoing severe weather warnings suggest additional evacuations may be necessary as thunderstorms threaten the region.