Texas Missing Girls Search: AI Software Uncovers Unusual Hand Signal in 4,000 Hours of CCTV Footage Near Deadman’s Tunnel

The search for missing girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls summer camp devastated by catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025, has taken a startling turn. On July 21, 2025, authorities announced that advanced AI software, used to analyze over 4,000 hours of CCTV footage from areas surrounding Deadman’s Tunnel in Kerr County, Texas, detected an unusual hand signal appearing consistently every 27 frames. This discovery, coupled with a recent drone sweep over Willow Hollow Ranch that identified two moving shapes via thermal imaging and a rag doll marked “Emily, 6,” has injected new urgency into the search for the missing girls. This article explores the AI-driven breakthrough, the mysterious hand signal, and its potential connection to the ongoing tragedy that has claimed at least 121 lives, including 27 girls and counselors from Camp Mystic.

The Camp Mystic Flooding Tragedy

The July 4 floods, triggered by a storm dumping over 10 inches of rain in hours, transformed the Guadalupe River into a deadly torrent, rising 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Camp Mystic, located in Hunt, Kerr County, was among the hardest hit, with floodwaters sweeping through cabins, including the “Bubble Inn” housing the camp’s youngest campers, aged 8 and under. At least 27 girls and counselors perished, with initial reports citing 23 campers and two counselors among the deceased, and up to 27 others missing as of July 17. The camp, a century-old Texas institution, hosted approximately 750 girls during the session, drawing campers from Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Confirmed victims include 8-year-old Blakely McCrory, identified by her Camp Mystic necklace, and 9-year-old Janie Hunt, a relative of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. The tragedy has left families and communities reeling, with green ribbons tied around trees in Houston’s Memorial neighborhood symbolizing solidarity.

AI Software and the Deadman’s Tunnel Analysis

Deadman’s Tunnel, a narrow, disused railway tunnel near Kerrville, has emerged as a focal point in the search due to its proximity to the Guadalupe River and Camp Mystic, roughly 5 miles downstream. The tunnel, surrounded by dense woods and rocky terrain, is a known floodwater runoff point, making it a plausible location for debris or survivors to have been carried. In a bid to uncover clues, Texas authorities, in collaboration with the FBI and Texas EquuSearch, deployed AI-powered software to analyze over 4,000 hours of CCTV footage from public and private cameras in Kerr County, including those near Deadman’s Tunnel. The footage, spanning July 4 to July 20, includes traffic cameras, business surveillance, and private security systems along the river’s path.

The AI software, designed for pattern recognition and anomaly detection, identified a peculiar hand signal appearing every 27 frames (approximately every second, given standard 30 fps footage) across multiple camera feeds. Described as a deliberate gesture—possibly a raised hand with fingers crossed or a wave-like motion—the signal’s consistency suggests it may be intentional rather than random. Authorities have not released specific details about the gesture, citing the ongoing investigation, but Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha stated, “This anomaly is significant enough to warrant immediate follow-up. We’re not jumping to conclusions, but it could be a lead.” The footage, primarily from cameras along Highway 16 and rural roads near the tunnel, covers areas where floodwaters may have carried debris or individuals.

The Hand Signal: Clue or Coincidence?

The discovery of the hand signal has sparked intense speculation. The consistency of its appearance every 27 frames suggests a pattern that could indicate a survivor attempting to signal for help, a distress call captured inadvertently, or even a glitch in the footage. Experts in visual search and CCTV analysis, such as those cited in studies on surveillance efficiency, note that recurring patterns in complex environments like CCTV feeds are rare and often significant. The AI’s ability to detect this anomaly across thousands of hours of footage underscores the power of machine learning in identifying subtle details that human reviewers might miss, especially in low-quality or high-volume video data.

The hand signal’s connection to the missing girls remains uncertain. It could belong to a camper, a rescuer, or an unrelated individual caught on camera during the chaotic post-flood period. Online theories on X have proposed that the signal might be a child’s attempt to communicate, possibly linked to “Emily, 6,” whose rag doll was found at Willow Hollow Ranch, a mile from Deadman’s Tunnel. Others speculate it could be a hiker or local resident unaware of the cameras. The lack of clear identification, compounded by the tunnel’s remote location and poor lighting in some feeds, complicates interpretation. Authorities are cross-referencing the signal’s timestamps with flood patterns and survivor accounts to determine its relevance.

Connection to Willow Hollow Ranch Findings

The CCTV analysis follows closely on the heels of a July 21 drone sweep over Willow Hollow Ranch, where thermal imaging detected two human-sized moving shapes in dense underbrush, approximately one mile from Camp Mystic. A rag doll marked “Emily, 6” was found 500 yards from the thermal sighting, tangled in roots near a creek bed. The proximity of Willow Hollow Ranch to Deadman’s Tunnel—less than a mile—has led investigators to explore whether the hand signal, thermal shapes, and rag doll are linked. The doll is believed to mark the final route of a young camper, though no confirmed records list a 6-year-old Emily among the missing, possibly due to incomplete public disclosures.

The thermal imaging shapes, still unidentified, could be survivors, wildlife, or debris animated by wind or water. The hand signal’s detection in nearby CCTV footage strengthens the hypothesis that a child or group of children may have survived the initial flood and reached the tunnel area. Search teams, including Texas EquuSearch and FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, have intensified efforts around Deadman’s Tunnel, deploying canine units and additional drones. The Coast Guard’s thermal-equipped helicopters, used since the floods began, are also focusing on the area.

Search Efforts and Community Response

The search for the missing girls has mobilized over 1,000 state, federal, and volunteer responders, with efforts spanning the Guadalupe River from its headwaters to Canyon Lake. Helicopters, boats, and ATVs have navigated treacherous terrain, with volunteers sifting through mud-caked debris. A reunification center in Kerrville has processed over 850 uninjured campers, but the wait for news remains agonizing for families. A notable success was the July 18 rescue of three girls—Emily Rivera, Zoey Nash, and Hope Lin, aged 8 to 10—found alive in a hollow tree near Camp Wrenwood, a mile from Camp Mystic. Their survival, credited to a safety drill, has fueled hope that others, like the hypothetical “Emily, 6,” may still be found.

False reports, such as a viral claim of two girls rescued from a tree, debunked by Rep. Chip Roy, have complicated efforts. The Camp Mystic community, including alumni like Laura Bush, has rallied, with vigils in Houston and Dallas featuring the camp’s logo and the Bible verse John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Social media posts on X reflect both hope and frustration, with one user writing, “That hand signal every 27 frames—could it be a kid out there? Keep searching!” Another posted, “Emily’s rag doll and now this? Please bring them home.”

Challenges and Broader Implications

The AI analysis faced significant hurdles, including inconsistent camera quality and flood-damaged infrastructure. Studies on CCTV search efficiency highlight that low-resolution footage and complex environments, like those around Deadman’s Tunnel, reduce identification accuracy. The hand signal’s detection required advanced algorithms to filter noise and identify patterns across thousands of hours, a process that took days to complete. The absence of primary legislation specifically governing CCTV use in investigations, as noted in procedural guidelines, underscores the reliance on AI to fill gaps in human analysis.

The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of disaster preparedness in Texas. The National Weather Service’s forecasting, criticized by Texas Division of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd for underestimating the storm’s intensity, failed to predict the 10-inch deluge. Governor Greg Abbott, who visited Camp Mystic on July 5, expanded the state’s disaster declaration, vowing to find every missing girl. The incident has also highlighted the emotional toll on families, with parents like Carrie Hanna, whose 8-year-old daughter Hadley remains missing, enduring an “excruciating wait.”

Unanswered Questions and Next Steps

The hand signal’s origin and significance remain unclear. Is it a distress call from a missing camper, a coincidence, or a technical artifact? Its connection to the thermal shapes and “Emily’s” rag doll is speculative but compelling, given the geographic proximity. Authorities are prioritizing Deadman’s Tunnel, with plans to re-analyze footage using additional AI tools and conduct ground searches with canine units. The FBI’s cold case unit, experienced in missing persons cases like Jennifer Kesse’s, is assisting with pattern analysis.

As of July 22, 2025, with more rain forecast, the search continues under time pressure. The rag doll and hand signal have become symbols of hope, but the death toll—121 statewide, including 43 in Kerr County—underscores the tragedy’s scale. For now, the Camp Mystic community clings to the possibility that the AI-detected signal and thermal shapes point to survivors, potentially including the mysterious “Emily, 6,” whose rag doll marks a fragile trail in the search for answers.