Local News
Victims Identified in Catastrophic Central Texas Flooding
KERR COUNTY, Texas — The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Central Texas has climbed to 68, including 59 fatalities in Kerr County, as authorities continue search and recovery efforts.
Among the victims are children, families, and respected members of the community, tragically swept away by floodwaters that surged along the Guadalupe River, decimating homes and summer camps in the region.
A heartbreaking image shared by responders shows a Kerr County Sheriff’s deputy pausing along the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic—his grief visible as search operations stretch into another day.
68 confirmed deaths statewide: 59 in Kerr County, 11 girls and 1 counselor still missing from Camp Mystic.
Chloe Childress’s family have confirmed that she did not make it. Chloe was a Camp Counselor at Camp Mystic when the flash floods occurred. She graduated from The Kinkaid School in Houston, Texas on May 23, 2025.
Wynne Naylor is among those confirmed dead from Camp Mystic.
Mary Stevens
Eloise Peck, 8, has been confirmed dead. Peck was one of the girls at Camp Mystic that was reported missing after the floods Friday morning.
Sarah Marsh, 8, of Alabama – confirmed deceased by her grandmother.
Lila Bonner, 9, of Dallas – found deceased; her family has requested privacy.
Janie Hunt and Renee Smajstrla, both 9 – their deaths have been confirmed by loved ones.
Brooke and Blaire Harber, sisters from Dallas – bodies recovered; grandparents still missing.
Dick Eastland, beloved Camp Mystic director – reportedly died while attempting to rescue girls.
Jeff Wilson, longtime Humble ISD teacher – confirmed dead; his wife and son remain missing.
Reece and Paula Zunker, Tivy High School soccer coach and wife – confirmed deceased; their two children remain missing.
Holly Frizzell, 72, of Hunt – remembered by her daughter as a loving mother and grandmother.
Julian Ryan, 27, of Ingram – died saving his mother, fiancée, and two children.
Katheryn Eads – confirmed deceased; her husband survived.
Jane Ragsdale, camp director of Heart O’ the Hills – died in the flooding; remembered as the “heart and soul” of her camp.
Bobby and Amanda Martin, Odessa – confirmed dead; their two children survived.
Bailey Martin and Jayda Floyd – still missing.
Authorities confirmed that more than 200 individuals have been rescued, 167 of them by helicopter.
First responder teams, including 18 helicopters, 107 game wardens, and 400+ rescue personnel, remain engaged in exhaustive day-and-night efforts to locate the missing.
Governor Greg Abbott declared a state disaster for 15 counties, including Kerr, Bandera, Comal, Gillespie, and Kendall, stating that the state would commit “every tool and resource” to recovery and rescue.
In a post shared by Camp Mystic staff, families, and friends have flooded social media with tributes to the victims, prayers for the missing, and calls for strength and unity.
Many noted the tragic loss of young campers who had looked forward to a summer of joy and friendship, only for their lives to be cut short by the historic flash flooding that dropped over 15 inches of rain in parts of the Hill Country.
Search and rescue operations continue through the night, aided by infrared-equipped helicopters and trained K-9 units.
Authorities say conditions remain hazardous due to washed-out roads, debris, and isolated communication.
As names and images of the missing circulated widely during the search, families are now asking the public to respect their privacy and refrain from reaching out directly, especially through previously shared contact numbers.
Texas officials, led by Governor Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, have vowed that operations will not cease until every missing person is accounted for. “This is a mass casualty event,” said Freeman Martin, Director of Public Safety. “But we are still holding out hope.”
Please keep the victims, survivors, and their families in your thoughts as this community grieves and continues its search for hope amid heartbreak.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.