Hammond got his window down and he and his wife escaped through the front of the car. Malaya had the harder task of getting the minivan’s back door open as the water quickly rose, her father said. “Miraculously, she got it open in time," he said, and Malaya helped her siblings and the friend escape, sending them all into the rushing waters.

In early July 2025, a screenshot claimed to show a real Truth Social post by U.S. President Donald Trump calling on people to forget the "Epstein files" and focus on the "beautiful young girls" who died in the Texas flash floods over the Fourth of July. Per the screenshot, Trump wrote:

HAMPTON ROADS — On July 4, a flash flood along the Guadalupe River overwhelmed the Texas hill country region of Kerr County. The river surged to almost 30 feet in under an hour, leading to a major rush of water. At the heart of the storm was Camp Mystic, a summer camp for girls.

A 17-year-old girl has died in the Texas floods after helping her family exit their van that fell into the raging waters.

More than 111 people have died across six counties after flash flooding from heavy rain began affecting the state last week.

Meanwhile, Texas authorities have pledged to continue search and rescue operations until every missing person is found.