July 13, 2025 | Kerr County, Texas — In a dramatic breakthrough in the case of the 27 missing girls from Camp Mystic, a trained police dog has led investigators to a shocking discovery behind one of the camp’s oldest and long-abandoned structures.
According to authorities, K9 unit “Ranger” — a German Shepherd specializing in search and scent detection — began barking and refusing to leave the rear side of an unused cabin located near the tree line at the edge of the camp. The structure, known to staff as “Cabin 5B”, had not been in operation for over a decade and was not included in the camp's current evacuation or safety plans.
“The dog wouldn’t stop. He scratched at the porch, circled back, then began pawing directly at the floorboards inside,” said one officer on the scene.
Police then obtained immediate clearance to dismantle part of the structure. Beneath a section of warped, dust-covered floorboards, they uncovered a narrow wooden hatch, sealed with old nails and partially concealed by a rotting rug.
What lay beneath sent shockwaves through the investigation.
The hatch opened into a steep wooden staircase leading to a hidden sublevel, roughly the size of a large storage room. Inside, investigators found children’s items — including flashlights, rain boots, a pink plastic hairbrush, and an outdated walkie-talkie still faintly transmitting static. One wall bore markings that resembled height measurements, scratched into the wood.
But most disturbing of all: a rusted cot with faded bedding, and the initials “A.M.” carved into the wall beside it — initials that match one of the 27 girls still listed as missing.
The space had no ventilation, no windows, and no official access point other than the now-exposed hatch.
“It’s clear this wasn’t just storage,” said a law enforcement official, speaking anonymously. “Someone either used this place… or prepared it.”
As of now, no human remains have been found in the chamber. However, DNA testing is underway on hair samples and fabric fibers recovered at the scene. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the space was used after the flood began, nor have they clarified how — or why — this cabin was omitted from official camp records.
The discovery raises new and urgent questions:
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Was this a hiding place, or a holding area?
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Who knew about it?
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And how many more such hidden spaces might exist at Camp Mystic?
Camp officials have yet to issue a statement. Families of the missing girls were notified immediately and are reportedly demanding a full forensic sweep of all unused structures across the property.
This latest twist marks a chilling shift in what began as a natural disaster — and is now unfolding into a potential criminal investigation with layers yet to be uncovered.
As one parent said through tears:
“We came looking for flood victims. Now we’re looking for the truth.”