Byline: Bastrop County, Texas — July 2025
In the most chilling discovery since the devastating flood at Camp Wrenwood, the rescue team searching for the 27 missing girls has recovered a water-damaged voice recorder that still contained a final audio message from two of the children.
The recorder, found tangled in tree roots beneath 4 feet of muddy water, was miraculously intact enough for forensic audio teams to extract a 1 minute, 46 second clip — now described by officials as the most critical breakthrough in locating the bodies of those still missing.
🎧 What the Girls Said
In the grainy but clearly emotional recording, two young voices — believed to be age 9 and 10 — are heard whispering, gasping, and trying to describe their surroundings as the water rushed in.
“It’s too fast… we can’t go back…”
“Stay by the red pipe, okay? They’ll look here.”
“Tell Mom I tried to carry her… but she’s too cold…”
The clip ends with one girl saying, almost inaudibly:
“…this is where most of us are… tell them to come here. Please.”
Audio engineers confirmed that in the background, the sound of rushing water matches environmental conditions in the northeastern drainage basin, a region that had previously been partially ruled out due to poor drone access and unstable mudslides.
🧭 Search Zone Redirected to “Red Pipe” Area
After reviewing the recording, rescue teams immediately shifted operations to the northeast, particularly near a disused maintenance pipeline nicknamed “Red Pipe,” which once served the camp’s old septic system. The area had been buried under debris and swamp brush since the storm.
Within hours of arrival, teams made contact with biological indicators in the water, signaling the presence of human remains.
“We now believe this may be where the highest concentration of victims are located,” said Chief Search Officer Ben McAllister. “The girls were guiding us. Even in their last moments, they were trying to help.”
💬 Public Reaction: “They Marked Their Own Grave Site”
News of the recording has devastated and galvanized the public. The phrase “Stay by the red pipe” is now trending under the hashtag #RedPipeSignal, as Americans share tributes, prayers, and calls for greater accountability from the camp administration.
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“She tried to carry someone who couldn’t walk. Let that sink in.”
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“These girls marked their own grave with their voices.”