By Caroline West | U.S. Breaking Report | July 16, 2025
In a devastating and deeply unsettling development, as floodwaters finally began to recede around the perimeter of Camp Mystic in central Texas, recovery teams today discovered multiple bodies of the missing girls — their identities still being confirmed.
But what’s stunned officials, and launched an immediate police investigation, is the position in which the girls were found.
Each girl, partially buried in river silt and debris, was discovered cradling something in her arms — tightly held, even in death.
“They weren’t just lost to the flood,” said Sheriff Eli Grant during an emotional press briefing. “They were found in a way that suggests something far more intentional… and far more troubling.”
Sources close to the investigation describe the objects as:
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Small dolls, drenched and disfigured
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Handmade crafts bearing the girls’ initials
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Fabric bundles that appeared to contain torn notebook pages or photographs
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In one case, a broken piece of mirror clutched so tightly it left deep lacerations in the child’s palm
The discovery was made just 300 meters from the summer camp’s west trailhead, where waters dropped dramatically overnight. First responders were combing the area for debris when one spotted a braid of hair in the mud, leading to the first body.
Within an hour, seven more were found, all in similar condition — their arms wrapped around these objects, their expressions described by one rescuer as:
“peaceful, but wrong. Like they were told to hold on.”
Investigators say this unusual positioning does not match typical flood drownings, and forensic teams are being brought in from across the state.
The area has now been declared a restricted zone, with federal agents on site. Behavioral analysts are also being consulted to explore whether the children’s positioning and possessions were staged — or symbolic.
Parents of the victims were notified in private and have asked for privacy.
As of this hour, official cause of death has not been released, and 12 girls remain missing.
“The water may have receded,” said Sheriff Grant, “but the truth is just beginning to surface.”
This is a developing story. Live updates to follow.