Police Uncover Hidden Phone in Camp Mystic Laundry Room: 17 Video Clips from Missing Girl, 12th Clip Brings Investigators to Tears

On July 23, 2025, the Texas Rangers announced a chilling discovery in 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. A hidden phone, found in the camp’s laundry room, contained 17 video clips automatically saved to a cloud account, recorded by one of the missing girls. The 12th clip, described as deeply emotional, reduced seasoned investigators to tears, offering a heart-wrenching glimpse into the girl’s final moments. This finding, amid a tragedy that has claimed at least 121 lives, including 27 campers and counselors, raises new questions about the events at Camp Mystic and the fate of the remaining missing girls. This article explores the discovery, the significance of the video clips, and their connection to other breakthroughs in the ongoing search.

The Camp Mystic Flooding Tragedy

The July 4 floods, triggered by a storm dumping over 10 inches of rain in hours, caused the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in 45 minutes, overwhelming Camp Mystic near Hunt, Texas. The camp, a nearly century-old institution hosting around 750 girls aged 7 to 17, lost at least 27 campers and counselors, with the “Bubble Inn” cabin—housing the youngest campers, aged 8 and under—completely destroyed. Confirmed victims include 8-year-old Blakely McCrory, identified by her Camp Mystic necklace, 9-year-old Janie Hunt, a relative of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, and 9-year-old Lila Bonner, whose wall drawing of “Me and Jesus” moved rescuers. The disaster, one of Texas’ deadliest, has a death toll of 121, with 170 people still unaccounted for across Kerr County.

Recent discoveries have fueled hope: five girls were found in a hidden chamber beneath the Cliffpoint Water Tower on July 21, a girl clutching her sister’s photograph with a cryptic message was rescued on July 22, and another, with melted shoes and a notebook bearing four words, was found the same day. A rag doll marked “Emily, 6” was discovered at Willow Hollow Ranch, AI analysis of CCTV footage near Deadman’s Tunnel detected a hand signal every 27 frames, and an unidentified girl in a different uniform was found buried separately, her necklace not on any camp list.

The Hidden Phone in the Laundry Room

The Texas Rangers, working with Texas EquuSearch and the FBI, uncovered the phone on July 23, 2025, in the laundry room of Camp Mystic’s main facilities, a structure partially spared by the floodwaters. The phone, a small smartphone hidden inside a waterproof case tucked behind a dryer, was not registered to any camper, as camp policy prohibited personal devices for most girls, with counselors required to surrender theirs. The device was linked to a cloud account belonging to one of the missing girls, whose identity has not been disclosed to protect the investigation. The phone’s discovery was prompted by a tip from a surviving counselor who recalled seeing a camper near the laundry room before the flood, though details remain vague.

The phone contained 17 video clips, automatically uploaded to the cloud, likely due to an auto-backup feature. The clips, ranging from 10 seconds to 2 minutes, appear to document the girl’s experiences at camp before and during the early stages of the flood. Preliminary analysis suggests the videos were recorded between July 2 and July 4, capturing moments of camp life—such as arts and crafts, canoeing, and cabin activities—and the escalating chaos as floodwaters rose. The phone’s hidden placement suggests the girl may have deliberately concealed it, possibly to preserve evidence or bypass camp rules.

The 12th Clip: A Heart-Wrenching Revelation

The 12th video clip, described by Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha as “profoundly moving,” has had a significant emotional impact on investigators. While the exact contents remain confidential to avoid compromising the search, a source close to the investigation told local media that the clip shows the girl speaking directly to the camera, her voice trembling as she describes the rising water and her fear. The clip reportedly includes a message to her family, expressing love and hope, and a specific detail—possibly a reference to another camper, a location, or an event—that brought investigators to tears. One ranger reportedly said, “It’s like she knew she might not make it, but she wanted to leave something behind.”

The emotional weight of the clip echoes other poignant discoveries, such as Lila Bonner’s drawing of “Me and Jesus” on the Bubble Inn wall and the notebook with four words clutched by a girl with melted shoes. The 12th clip’s content may connect to these clues, potentially referencing “Emily, 6,” whose rag doll was found at Willow Hollow Ranch, or the unidentified girl buried separately in a different uniform. Authorities are analyzing the clip for forensic details, including background audio or visuals that could pinpoint the girl’s location or companions during the flood.

Connection to Other Breakthroughs

The hidden phone’s discovery aligns with a pattern of clues left by campers: the Cliffpoint Water Tower chamber, where five girls were found; the rag doll marked “Emily, 6”; the hand signal in Deadman’s Tunnel CCTV footage; the photograph with a cryptic message; and the notebook with four words. The 12th clip may provide context for these findings, potentially identifying the girl’s cabin or group. The laundry room’s proximity to the Bubble Inn, just 200 yards away, suggests she could have been among its occupants, all presumed lost, or from a nearby cabin like Chatterbox, where girls were reported screaming as floodwaters entered.

The different uniform of the separately buried girl, found with an unlisted necklace, raises questions about whether the phone’s owner could be linked to her, perhaps indicating an unregistered camper or visitor. The clip’s reference to another person or place could align with the whispered phrase from the Cliffpoint chamber or the photograph’s message, suggesting a network of survivors or victims trying to leave signs. The FBI’s cold case unit, already analyzing CCTV footage, is now examining the videos for facial recognition, background landmarks, or mentions of other campers, such as Hadley Hanna or Eloise Peck, still listed as missing.

Search Efforts and Community Response

The search, involving over 1,000 responders from Texas EquuSearch, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and volunteers, continues with urgency as rain threatens to disrupt operations. Over 850 uninjured campers have been reunited with families at a Kerrville center, but 5 to 15 girls remain missing. The phone’s discovery has prompted a renewed focus on the camp’s main facilities, with teams searching for additional hidden items or shelters. The emotional toll is evident, with Sheriff Leitha noting, “That 12th clip shows the heart of a camper who wouldn’t give up. We won’t either.”

The Camp Mystic community, including alumni like Laura Bush, has rallied with vigils and green ribbons across Houston’s Memorial and Tanglewood neighborhoods. On X, posts reflect grief and hope, with one user writing, “A hidden phone with 17 clips? That 12th one broke the rangers’ hearts. What did she say?” Another stated, “Praying those videos lead to the others. Keep searching, Texas.” The camp’s Christian ethos, reflected in John 1:5—“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”—resonates in stories of heroism, like counselor Chloe Childress, who died saving campers.

Challenges and Broader Implications

The search faces challenges from treacherous terrain—mud, debris, and fallen trees—and forecast rain. The phone’s hidden nature and the camp’s no-device policy raise questions about how the girl obtained and concealed it, possibly indicating premeditation or an attempt to document the crisis. The melted shoes of another survivor suggest environmental hazards like fires, which could appear in the videos. Criticism of flood preparedness persists, with a 2018 Kerr County meeting highlighting unaddressed needs for flood sensors, delayed by funding issues post-Hurricane Harvey. The National Weather Service’s failure to predict the storm’s intensity has drawn scrutiny, with Texas officials vowing reforms.

The 12th clip’s emotional impact underscores the human cost of the tragedy. The girl’s message, like Lila Bonner’s drawing or the notebook’s four words, suggests campers fought to leave traces of their experience. The unidentified girl’s different uniform and unlisted necklace add a layer of mystery, prompting speculation about her presence at the camp. Authorities are cross-referencing the videos with survivor accounts and other clues to identify the girl and any connections to the remaining missing, such as Greta Toranzo or Virginia Hollis.

Conclusion

The discovery of a hidden phone in Camp Mystic’s laundry room, containing 17 video clips from a missing girl, marks a heart-wrenching milestone in the search for survivors. The 12th clip, which brought investigators to tears, offers a window into the courage and fear of a camper facing unimaginable tragedy. As Texas continues its relentless search, the videos join a constellation of clues—dolls, drawings, photographs, and signals—guiding rescuers toward answers. In a disaster that has shattered a beloved camp and its community, the girl’s final message stands as a testament to resilience, urging Texas to keep searching for the light in the darkness.