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Lila Bonner, 1 of the Young Girls Who Went Missing from Texas Camp amid Catastrophic Floods, Confirmed Dead: ‘Unimaginable Grief’

NEED TO KNOW

  • The body of Lila Bonner, one of the missing campers at Camp Mystic in Texas, has been found, her family confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE on July 5

  • Lila was one of the more than 20 children at the all-girls Christian camp who went missing following the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County on July 4

  • Lila’s family shared that they are “heartbroken” by the news and requested privacy

The body of Lila Bonner, one of the young campers who went missing following the recent Texas floods, has been found, her family confirmed to PEOPLE.

“The family of Lila James Bonner is heartbroken to confirm the news of her loss,” the family said in a statement on Saturday, July 5. “In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time.”

“We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss,” they added.

OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook Eloise Peck (left) and Lila Bonner (right).

OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook

Eloise Peck (left) and Lila Bonner (right).

Lila was among more than 20 campers who went missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp near the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, following catastrophic flooding on Friday, July 4. Floods in the river caused it to reach its second-highest level ever, according to ABC News.

Lila was staying in the same cabin as fellow camper Eloise Peck, who currently remains missing, according to the New York Post.

The family of Janie Hunt, another young camper, confirmed her death in a statement to PEOPLE, sharing, “We are devastated.”

OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook Janie Hunt

OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook

Janie Hunt

Shawn Salta, the uncle of 8-year-old camper Renee Smajstrla, confirmed that she had been found dead to The Washington Post on July 5. Salta also shared an emotional Facebook post about Renee's death.

“Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach,” he wrote alongside a photo of his late niece. “Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly.”

“We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday,” he continued. “She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville.”

Camp members Kellyanne Lytal, Molly DeWit and Lainey Landry are still missing, according to various family members, per KSAT, Fox 26 Houston and CNN.

Greta Toranzo and Virginia Hollis, who both attended the camp, also remain unaccounted for, WANE 15 reported.

OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook Virginia Hollis

OKCM Search & Rescue Team/Facebook

Virginia Hollis

KSAT previously reported that there was an overnight evacuation of Camp Mystic after the flooding.

In a statement on July 4, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state “is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods.”

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“The State of Texas today has mobilized additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms,” he continued. “I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) for an update on the remaining missing campers.

In the latest update, authorities said that more than 850 people have been rescued following the floods, and 32 people have been confirmed dead, per Reuters.

Read the original article on People


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