After nearly a week of sifting through carnage left in the wake of a series of floods that engulfed the Texas Hill Country over the July 4 weekend, officials have identified more than 100 fatalities — three named in Southeast Texas youths Joyce Badon, 21; Ella Cahill, 22; and Mary Grace Baker, 8; one Southeast Texas youth, Aidan Heartfield, 23; was still missing as of press time. Reese Menchaca, 21; of Conroe, was vacationing with the Beaumont youth when calamity struck.
Badon, Menchaca, Cahill and Heartfield, all barely grown children graduates from Beaumont in their early 20s, were visiting a family home on the Guadalupe River when tragedy struck, as recounted by one of the victim’s family members.
“At 4 a.m. this morning, a flash flood came through and washed their cars away,” Badon’s mother, Kellye Badon, took to social media to express July 4.
The holiday had begun for the local mom with a frantic phone call to a fellow parent from barely grown children in trouble. The call was cut short and no one spoke to any of them again. According to Badon, “Aidan Heartfield called his dad as it happened. Then, he and two others got washed away by debris.”
Heartfield’s father, Beaumont-based attorney J. Thad Heartfield, reported that his son handed the phone to Joyce Badon before the phone went dead. In the early moments, hope of all hope was to find them alive.
“It happened so quickly with so much water, they could not get in the attic,” Kellye Badon shared as she made her way to the banks of the Guadalupe, unsure of what awaited her and the rescue team en route. Badon could not reach her daughter — or any of her daughter’s friends; still, she hoped for the best.
Baker, the youngest Beaumont youth killed in the Hill Country floods, was just 8 years old when she was faced with rushing water rivaling the flow of Niagara Falls. She was the first local victim positively identified July 7.
Baker had been enjoying summer fun with fellow Camp Mystic adventurers when flood waters ravaged the site where generations of girls have been exploring for decades. This summer at Camp Mystic in Hunt, girls from across Texas had congregated since June 29. The four-week camp was set to conclude July 26.
Instead of a letter from a young girl enjoying a month-long camp experience, Baker’s family received words of encouragement from St. Anne Catholic School, where Baker was remembered as a bright light dimmed too soon.
“Mary Grace was a bright light in our close-knit school family, known for her kindness and friendship to all, her joyful spirit and her love for her faith and family,” the campus statement read. “Her giggle was contagious, as was her spirit. She loved art, dance, her school and playing at West End Little League. She was a girls’ girl who loved pink, sparkles and bows in her signature angelic ringlet curls.
“We are heartbroken at the loss of our Mary Grace. Words are difficult to find, but we take comfort that her earthly body has been found, and her pure soul is now wrapped in the arms of Jesus.”
Four-alarm warning at 4 a.m.
At 4:15 a.m. July 4, the National Weather Service (NWS) posted a flash flood emergency warning for the Hill Country area that included the Guadalupe River where the local graduates were vacationing, and the area where Baker was enjoying camp friends. According to the NWS, these types of alerts are “exceedingly rare” and used when there is a “severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage.”
As now known, the Guadalupe River rapidly rose 26 feet within 45 minutes, according to state officials. As of press time, over 100 people have died, with 87 fatalities reported in Kerr County alone, including 30 children; 23 children remained unaccounted for, including five campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian summer camp where Baker was housed, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said in a news conference. Camp Mystic reported that at least 27 campers and counselors died in the flooding over the weekend and are grieving the loss of campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” camp officials offered in a prepared statement. “We are praying for them constantly. We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level. We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us.”
Badon and Menchaca were also found deceased July 7. Sharing publicly the grief shared by an untold number of unknown supporters, Reese Menchaca’s aunt and uncle posted that the teen girl’s remains were located “in the rubble and debris left by the rushing flood waters in the Hunt, Texas area.” Thankful for community support, the Menchaca family urged Southeast Texans to remain vigilant in support for those experiencing unimaginable loss.
“Please continue to pray for other folks that are still waiting on word of their lost loved ones and for comfort for the families of the deceased that have been found,” the couple shared.
Heartfield’s family, as of press time, was still without answers — and without Aidan Heartfield. Days into the search for his son, J. Thad Heartfield spoke to the national media, unsure of where to find his child but fearing the worst.
“They got swept away, in less than a minute the phone went dead” Heartfield reflected of the last time he spoke to his son and son’s friends. The house that once belonged to J. Thad Heartfield’s deceased father, found down river, eventually offered up the body of one of the victims. At the time, Aidan Heartfield and Ella Cahill were still missing, but the distraught parent was already in mourning: “He was a kind and gentle soul on this planet. My desire is not to leave Aidan and Ella to the river, if at all possible.”
By July 8, Cahill had been found.
SETX steps up
In the wake of the storm, Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem were joined by a host of federal, state and local officials to provide an update on the ongoing response to the Texas Hill Country disaster. Abbott assured the deployment of more than 1,300 personnel, more than 900 vehicles and equipment assets, and more than 15 state agencies responding to flooding threats across the state.
“When Texans face a challenge, we come together, we unite, and that’s exactly what’s happened over the past twenty-four to forty-eight hours in this community,” Abbott said. “We will be relentless in going after and ensuring that we locate every single person who’s been a victim of this flooding event. We’re not going to stop today or tomorrow. This is a 24/7 operation, looking for Texans and Americans. They are our top priority, and we will find every one of them.”
Boots on the ground efforts were sparked by Southeast Texans, many who possess day jobs in the public service sector. Among those traveling to the heart of the devastation was Jasper County Sheriff Chuck Havard, who shared his experience — one he expressed was profoundly distressing.
“I have been in a lot of disaster zones throughout my career, but I have never seen anything quite like what I witnessed the past couple of days,” Havard shared. “That river was very powerful and devastating. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families, victims and all the people affected by this tragic event.”
As the days pass and rescues have turned to recovery, many organizations across Texas have provided ways for the public to donate for recovery efforts. Capital Title – Beaumont will host a Texas Flood Relief Drive at their office and across the state. They currently need:
- Non-perishable foods
- Bottled water
- Hygiene products
- Blankets
- Cleaning Supplies
Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas has set up a donation portal on their website. and St. Anne Church has partnered with Holy Trinity Church to help victims. Items can be dropped off at the Manger Youth Center on July 10 from 9 p.m. - 5 p.m. The Manger Youth Center needs:
- Individually packaged snacks and protein bars
- Diapers (for babies and seniors)
- Baby wipes
- Sanitary wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Toiletries
- Cleaning supplies (5g buckets, new mops and brooms, bleach)
- Paper plates and utensils
Online donations can also be made at the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, Texas Search & Rescue, Kerrville Pets Alive! and verified GoFundMe fundraisers for flooding victims. To help prevent fraud, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a consumer alert to ensure that charitable gifts are efficiently and responsibly used to the maximum benefit of those recently impacted by the tragic flooding in Texas.
“Unfortunately, there are some heinous individuals who are trying to use this tragedy to perpetrate scams and steal money from those wanting to help Texans impacted by this devastating flooding,” Paxton said. “I will not tolerate anyone taking advantage of the good will that’s been pouring out from across the country to support our fellow Texans. I encourage anyone considering making a charitable donation to do so, and to be aware and informed to ensure that their donations go towards their intended recipients. My prayers continue to be with those who have been impacted by this devastating tragedy.”
Those wishing to give money or provide services to assist their fellow Texans impacted by the recent flooding should consider the following resources and practices to avoid scams and support the Texans who have been impacted by the devastating flooding:
• Do not wire money or confirm financial or personal information, including bank account, credit card, or Social Security numbers.
• CharityWatch, formerly known as The American Institute of Philanthropy, is a charity watchdog group that helps donors make informed choices.
• GuideStar gathers data on millions of IRS-recognized nonprofits.
• Do not trust a name or phone number. Scammers often use fake names and phone numbers to disguise their identity and area code.
• Be vigilant against text message solicitations or “smishing” for donations.
July 9, mourners gathered at the Jefferson Theatre in downtown Beaumont to remember those lost in the July 4 floods. July 10, a community prayer service will be held at Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, 5950 Kelly Dr. in Beaumont, at 6 p.m.
– Jennifer Johnson contributed to this report.