Southwest
Camp flooding puts parents on edge as tragedy shows danger of sending kids away for summer
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As countless children flock to summer camps around the country to enjoy the outdoors while school is out, the wholly American tradition has not existed without a history of tragic horror stories leaving families grieving the unimaginable.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, 27 children and counselors were killed after a flash flood swept through Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, the all-girls Christian camp said Monday morning. Ten campers and one counselor remain unaccounted for as authorities race to search the receding floodwaters of the Guadalupe River.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” the camp said in a statement. “We are praying for them constantly.”
LIVE UPDATES: TEXAS FLOODS
A view of Camp Mystic, the site where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)
Of the deceased, an 8-year-old girl from Alabama visiting Camp Mystic and the camp’s director, Dick Eastland, were confirmed as victims, according to state officials and Texas Public Radio.
“We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls,” the statement added.
Camp Mystic did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The devastating events unfolding at Camp Mystic are the most recent in a long line of tragedies striking summer camps throughout the country, with parents sending their children off with the expectation that the only phone call home will be due to homesickness.
CAMP MYSTIC DIRECTOR DIES WHILE TRYING TO SAVE KIDS DURING TEXAS FLOODING
A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic, where at least 20 girls went missing after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)
“This tragic event ranks among the most severe flooding disasters in recent camp history, and its scale has deeply shaken the camp community,” American Camp Association CEO Henry DeHart said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Camps across the country work tirelessly to provide safe, enriching experiences, and our focus remains on supporting those affected during this incredibly difficult time.”
The association is the only national program that provides camps with accreditation to implement policies surrounding the health and safety of attendees.
“No amount of planning could have anticipated this disaster,” DeHart added. “This tragedy is a sobering reminder of the unpredictable forces of nature, and now the strength of the camp community will rally in compassion and unity when it matters most.”
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN REUNITES WITH DAUGHTERS AFTER TEXAS CAMP FLOODING, THANKS ‘COUNTLESS HEROES’
From gruesome murders to accidental drownings, American summer camps have not been untouched by tragedy in recent years, forcing parents to face the choice of sending their children for a fun-filled summer with the risk of them never returning.
Child crushed by oak tree at California summer camp
Earlier this week, an 8-year-old boy was killed, and four others were injured after a branch from an oak tree fell at a California children’s summer camp, according to Fox 11.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority’s “Camp Wildcraft” as the five victims were standing under the oak tree to avoid the sun, according to investigators.
Officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene, finding camp staff attempting to render aid to several individuals before paramedics arrived.
‘WALL OF WATER’: TEXAN RECOUNTS CATASTROPHIC MIDNIGHT FLOOD SURGE THAT SWEPT AWAY 27 GIRLS AT CAMP MYSTIC
The 8-year-old boy was killed by a falling oak tree branch at a California summer camp on July 9, 2025. (Fox 11)
The young camper was subsequently transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to authorities, an 11-year-old girl sustained a broken leg, a 5-year-old boy sustained cuts to his head, a 22-year-old man suffered bruising to his arm and abrasions to his head and a 73-year-old man suffered a concussion.
Officials have not released the identity of the child.
PARENTS DESPERATELY SEEKING ANSWERS ON MISSING CAMPERS AFTER TEXAS FLOOD
“We are devastated by the tragic loss of a young child at a summer camp at King Gillette Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains,” the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority said in a statement, according to Fox 11. “Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow. Our hearts are with the child’s family, friends, and all those affected by this unimaginable tragedy.”
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Terror on the Guadalupe River
Over 300 children were evacuated by bus from the Pot O’ Gold Ranch summer camp after the Guadalupe River flooded in Comfort, Texas in 1987. (National Weather Service )
The scene at Camp Mystic is eerily reminiscent of a 1987 tragedy that stemmed from the same river that continues to claim the lives of campgoers after this weekend’s floods.
Nearly four decades ago, over 300 children were attending summer camp at the Pot O’ Gold Ranch, located approximately two miles southwest of Comfort, Texas, when severe thunderstorms moved into the area, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Local law enforcement tried to warn camp officials of a flood wave moving toward the camp, with authorities ultimately deciding to evacuate the children. Shortly after leaving, the caravan of buses encountered rapidly rising waters, forcing the drivers to take an alternate route.
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WATCH: NWS shares images of deadly 1987 Guadalupe River flood
As the line of buses were evacuating, the last vehicle in the group was overtaken by the floodwaters, forcing those on board to try to wade to safety. As the campgoers and chaperones made their way to dry land by forming a human chain, several individuals were swept away by the fast-moving deluge.
A total of 39 teenagers and four adults were carried away by the floodwaters, with 10 of the teens drowning, according to NWS. The remaining survivors were subsequently rescued — some by helicopter — and taken to safety.
Boy Scout dies in New Mexico floodwaters
In June 2015, a 13-year-old camper died after floodwaters ravaged a Boy Scout troop’s New Mexico campsite as the children slept, according to the Associated Press.
The group of eight California boys and their chaperones awoke to find themselves trapped as water poured into their tents, with some using their teeth to rip holes to escape the chaos.
“You could hear people yelling, but you couldn’t understand what they were saying,” Michael Evans, a chaperone, told police.
PARENTS DESPERATELY SEEKING ANSWERS ON MISSING CAMPERS AFTER TEXAS FLOOD
Timelapse video shows Texas’ Llano River flooding
Four boys were swept away by the floodwaters and carried down a canyon, where some reportedly clung to trees and other objects to stay afloat.
The flood claimed the life of Alden Brock after his tent succumbed to the powerful rushing water.
“We floated down the stream, I guess, for a little bit,” Logan Reed recalled after he and Brock were unable to escape their tents. “I guess there was a hole in the bottom of the tent, and I slipped out of that.”
The troop was enjoying a 12-day trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch when the floodwaters rushed through North Ponil Canyon at approximately 4:30 a.m., with the sheer level of devastation shocking local authorities.
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“The actual little creek that runs down through there isn’t any more than a foot and a half, two feet wide,” Colfax County Sheriff Rick Sinclair said at the time of the incident. “And the area of destruction had to be, I’m guessing, at least 50 yards wide, maybe wider.”
In a statement about Texas flooding at Camp Mystic, Scouting America told Fox News Digital: “Our prayers are with the families and youth affected by the tragic events at Camp Mystic, as well as the many others impacted by the widespread flooding throughout the region. We stand in support of the entire community during this challenging time.”
Child drowns at New Jersey summer camp
Last year, a 6-year-old boy drowned on the first day of a New Jersey day camp, leaving a community grieving as parents grappled for answers.
The child was attending a Liberty Lakes swim camp for students entering first and second grade when he went underwater in the shallow end of a 20-foot-wide pool, according to Fox 29.
YOUNG BOY, 6, DROWNS IN NEW JERSEY SUMMER DAY CAMP SWIMMING POOL
A summer camp in Burlington County, New Jersey is grieving after a 6-year-old camper drowned. (FOX 29)
Liberty Lakes’ pool reportedly exceeded state lifeguard standards, with the child swimming in a group with an adult leader, two teen counselors and three adult advocates for campers with special needs — including one representative specifically assigned to him.
Liberty Lakes Summer Day Camp did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
‘Girl Scout Murders’ stumps investigators despite new DNA evidence
The mystery surrounding the fates of four Girl Scouts who were abducted from their tents and killed on the first night after arriving at an Oklahoma summer camp in June 1977 continues to stump authorities decades later.
Lori Lee, 8, Michelle Guse, 9, and Doris Denise Millner, 10, were brutally beaten, sexually assaulted and murdered at Camp Scott just hours after arriving.
OKLAHOMA’S ‘GIRL SCOUT MURDERS’ CONTINUE TO HAUNT, MYSTIFY AUTHORITIES FOUR DECADES LATER, FOX NATION EXPLORES
Lori Lee Farmer, 8, Michelle Guse, 9, and Doris Denise Milner, 10, who were mysteriously abducted from their tent and later found dead. (Hulu)
Gene Leroy Hart was tried and acquitted after authorities suspected him of brutally killing three Girl Scouts in 1977. (Fox News)
Following the discovery of their bodies, authorities launched a 10-month-long manhunt for the suspected killer, Gene Leroy Hart.
However, a controversial trial led to the acquittal of Hart, with authorities never naming an additional suspect in the murders.
In 2022, officials announced new DNA evidence strongly linked Hart — who had died in prison serving time for previous crimes — to the girls’ murders.
Falling tree crushes California camp staff member
A California summer camp was left grieving after an oak tree “spontaneously fell” in June 2013, killing one staff member and injuring four others.
Approximately 25 members of Camp Tawonga’s staff were outside eating breakfast when “there was a very loud cracking noise,” followed by a massive oak tree falling to the ground, according to the organization.
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The tree struck five staff members, ultimately killing Annais Rittenberg. Two individuals were seriously injured and subsequently saved by fellow staff members as first responders raced to the scene.
Following an investigation, California Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials determined the camp did not violate any regulatory codes, and the organization was commended for the team’s swift response in an emergency situation.
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Camp Tawonga did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Tornado kills four Eagle Scouts at Iowa campground
Remnants from a Boy Scout uniform sit in the rubble left by a tornado that struck at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch, seen near Little Sioux, Iowa on June 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Miller, POOL)
In June 2008, four Eagle Scouts were killed when an EF-3 tornado struck Iowa’s Little Sioux Scout Ranch, ripping through the cabin the troop had taken shelter in.
“My friend pulled me out of the rubble and propped me on a chair,” Kevin Hanna told the Omaha World-Herald. “I couldn’t move my legs at all.”
The tornado killed Sam Thomsen, Josh Fennen, Aaron Eilerts and Ben Petrzilka, and injured 48 others, according to KETV 7.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, admitted to having an affair with a former staffer for the first time on Wednesday.
Gonzales made the confession during an appearance on a conservative talk radio show, just one day after he advanced to a runoff election in his congressional district’s GOP primary. The House Ethics Committee also launched an investigation into Gonzales on Wednesday.
“I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,” he said on “The Joe Pags Show” Wednesday night. “Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever.”
“When you make mistakes like this, it’s never easy. It humbles you,” he added.
Regina Santos-Aviles, a staffer for Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Uvalde, Texas. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images | Regina Santos-Aviles Facebook)
The Ethics Committee is investigating whether Gonzales, a married father of six, engaged in sexual misconduct with a female member of his staff and whether he doled out special favors or privileges as a result.
Gonzales has said he has no plan to step down in the face of the accusations, saying last month that there are more details to be released regarding the situation.
“What you’ve seen is not all the facts,” Gonzales told reporters in late February.
REP TONY GONZALES HIT WITH HOUSE ETHICS PROBE OVER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, has denied having anything to do with his former staffer’s death. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The three-term congressman argued at the time that he was being “blackmailed” in connection with the case. Controversy first arose after the San Antonio Express-News reported they obtained text messages in which the former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, wrote to a colleague that she had an affair with the lawmaker.
Santos-Aviles later died after setting herself on fire.
Gonzales denied having anything to do with her death during his radio appearance.
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Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is interviewed by CQ-Roll Call. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“I hadn’t spoken with Miss Santos since June of 2024. She passed September of 2025… I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing. And in fact, I was shocked just as much as everyone else,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales took to social media last month and accused Santos-Aviles’ husband of “blackmail,” sharing a partial screenshot of an email from the widower and claiming he was seeking money.
“I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,” Gonzales wrote in a Feb. 19 post on X. “Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death.”
In the email posted by Gonzales, attorney Robert Barrera discussed a possible lawsuit against the lawmaker and a potential settlement with a nondisclosure agreement. The email says that the maximum recoverable amount is $300,000.
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Barrera denied he was trying to blackmail Gonzales.
“It is a desperate attempt to make him look again like a political victim,” Barrera told The Associated Press last month. “There’s no blackmail here. I mean, it’s just ridiculous allegations.”
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Southwest
Nancy Guthrie’s abductor may have returned to the crime scene, left critical clues at tribute: expert
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TUCSON, Ariz. — As a growing memorial outside Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson-area home continues to draw visitors, new questions are emerging about whether investigators are monitoring the site.
Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, is believed to have been abducted from her home in the early hours of Feb. 1.
“They could [have eyes on the memorial], we’re just not seeing it,” Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association and a retired police sergeant, tells Fox News Digital. “They could be keeping track of it, but we’re not seeing the cameras.”
Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson home on Feb. 1. (Getty Images)
Yellow flowers, handwritten notes, artwork and even an open letter addressed to the “kidnapper” have been left at the makeshift tribute in front of her home.
While the memorial grows, however, visible law enforcement presence has significantly dropped.
“Detectives are reviewing all viable leads in this case,” a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Fox News Digital. “We do not speak to specifics, as this is still an ongoing investigation.”
Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect, vehicle or any persons of interest.
MULTIPLE SUSPECTS ARE POSSIBLE IN NANCY GUTHRIE’S ABDUCTION
Haunting Nest doorbell camera video shows a masked man on Nancy Guthrie’s front steps around the time of her abduction. He is described as being of average height and build and was wearing a black Ozark Trail backpack.
“In this type of situation where you have the potential for a suspect having done this because he or she is somehow obsessed with Savannah Guthrie or seeing Nancy featured on the ‘Today’ show multiple times… someone who is obsessed with notoriety, celebrity — there’s a lot of pathology involved in that,” Brantner Smith said.
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A member of the Pima County Sheriff’s office was seen outside of Nancy Guthrie’s home, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (Ty O’Neil/AP Photo; Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
“Potentially, that is the type of person that could come back to the memorial, look at the memorial, even take photos of the memorial and add to the memorial themselves.”
As to why there’s been an alleged lack of law enforcement presence monitoring the site, Brantner Smith pointed to one likely scenario.
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“It may be because they have solid suspects, and they just haven’t released that information to the public,” she said.
It’s not uncommon for an offender to return to the crime scene, she added.
A growing vigil in the morning light under cloudy skies is seen at Nancy Guthrie’s home on February 13, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. (Ty O’Neil/AP Photo)
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“Sometimes the offender will come back to the scene of the crime. So, in that vein, they would come to the memorial, and they may have left their own note, their own flowers,” she said.
Often, it’s a mark of their arrogance, she told Fox News Digital.
“I am guessing that the suspect or suspects who did this are frankly taking great pride in the fact that so far they’ve got away with it,” she added. “Coming back can also be a way to bring back that rush that they had when they originally committed the crime.”
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Such behavior happens frequently in arson cases, she said.
Deputies examine a flyer taped to Nancy Guthrie’s mailbox on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. They were called to the scene after volunteer searchers and several streamers walked onto Guthrie’s property with a shovel. (Michael Ruiz/Fox News Digital)
“But it’s also not untypical in a homicide case or, in this case, a missing person,” she continued. “We’ve got to look at the psychology of people who do this kind of stuff. They also may want to come back to see what kind of people are leaving notes and leaving flowers.”
For that reason, she said, investigators should be reading the notes to develop potential leads.
“They’re coming back to see the impact that they had on this neighborhood and on this family,” she said. “And the rest of us would view that as very sick, but law enforcement has to view that as a way to collect clues.”
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Savannah, her sister Annie, and brother-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, placed flowers at the growing tribute near the foot of Nancy’s driveway on Monday in a somber visit to the crime scene.
Annie Guthrie, her husband Tommaso Cioni, and Savannah Guthrie at their missing mother Nancy Guthrie’s home on Monday, March 2, in Tucson, Arizona. (Fox News)
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A combined reward for information that leads to Nancy’s recovery from the FBI, local authorities and the Guthrie family stands at over $1 million. It has not yet been claimed.
Savannah is asking anyone with information to dial 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has endorsed Texas state Rep. Steve Toth, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw in the Lone Star State’s 2nd Congressional District Republican primary.
“I am proud to endorse @SteveTothTX for Congress in Texas’s 2nd Congressional District. Steve faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance,” Cruz said in a post on X.
“Steve is an unwavering fighter for school choice, fiscal responsibility, and the next generation of Americans. Washington needs bold leadership and representatives who will stand up for Texans at every turn,” Cruz continued.
Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw speaks during a showcase hosted by TerraFlow in Houston Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
“Steve has the experience, the courage, and the conviction to do just that. I’m honored to support his campaign and urge voters in Texas’s 2nd Congressional District to join me in electing Steve Toth to Congress,” he added.
While President Donald Trump has not made an endorsement in the race, he previously backed Toth for Texas state House in 2022 and 2024.
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Texas House incumbent Rep. Steve Toth gives a brief statement before the start of a gubernatorial debate held at Grace Woodlands Church and put on by the True Texas Project on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022 in Spring, Texas. (Michael Wyke/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
“State Representative Steve Toth is doing a fantastic job representing Texas State House District 15. A Small Business Owner and an Ordained Minister, Steve is fighting tirelessly to Secure our Elections, Grow the Economy, Eliminate Needless Regulations, Strengthen the Border, Support our Great Military/Veterans, and Protect and Defend our under siege Second Amendment. Steve Toth has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump wrote in a 2024 Truth Social post.
The last day of early voting for Texas’ March 3 primary contests is Friday, according to the Texas Secretary of State website.
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, arrives for the cloture vote on the government funding bill in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Crenshaw has served in Congress since early 2019.
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