How did it happen so fast — and why weren’t the children moved sooner?
As floodwaters tore through Camp Mystic on July 4th, parents miles away were still asleep, unaware their daughters were in imminent danger. Now, as the tragic deaths of best friends Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck rock their North Texas communities, disturbing questions linger beneath the surface:
Were the flood warnings delayed? Were safety protocols at the nearly century-old camp insufficient? For two young lives lost and others still missing, the answers can’t come fast enough — and some families are demanding accountability.
Two North Texas families are mourning an unimaginable loss: their daughters, 9-year-old Lila Bonner and 8-year-old Eloise Peck, tragically lost their lives in the devastating flash floods that swept through Central Texas on July 4, 2025. The two best friends, who were also cabinmates at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, were caught in the powerful floodwaters that surged through the children’s cabins, leaving behind heartbreak and destruction.
Rescue teams worked tirelessly for days, but on July 6, the worst was confirmed — neither Lila nor Eloise had survived. The Bonner family shared the heartbreaking news first, followed by a tender message posted outside the Peck home announcing Eloise’s passing.
Her mother described Eloise as “a friend to everyone,” someone who adored animals, spaghetti, and her close-knit family. As reporter Kaitlyn Ross poignantly noted, “She passed away alongside her best friend and cabinmate,” highlighting the deep bond the girls shared in life and in their final moments.
The girls’ deaths are part of the broader tragedy that unfolded at Camp Mystic, where several children were initially reported missing after the flood. As of July 6, OKCM Search and Rescue confirmed that at least 11 campers and one counselor remained unaccounted for.
The surrounding Texas Hill Country was also devastated, with over 50 lives lost and emergency crews still working through the wreckage.
Lila and Eloise’s story has struck a chord far beyond their hometowns. Communities across Texas and beyond have joined in mourning, sharing touching photos of the girls laughing and smiling at camp — images that now serve as bittersweet memorials. Though their lives were far too short, the joy they brought and the friendship they shared have left an enduring legacy. One tribute summed it up simply, but powerfully: “You will never be forgotten.”
As families across Texas continue to grapple with the devastation left by the July 4th floods, the loss of Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck stands out as a piercing reminder of just how fragile and precious life can be. Best friends in life and now remembered together in death, their story has united communities in grief, love, and remembrance.
While the floodwaters have receded, the heartbreak remains — not just in the families who lost their children, but in the hearts of all who have seen their smiling faces and read the tributes pouring in. In honoring Lila and Eloise, we also remember the many others still missing or lost, and we are reminded of the urgent need to protect the most vulnerable among us. Their spirits live on — in friendship, in memory, and in the call for a safer tomorrow.