One Year After Camp Mystic Flood, Family of Missing 8-Year-Old Cile Steward Says Search for Daughter Continues
One year after the devastating flooding at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas, the family of 8-year-old Cile Steward says they are still waiting for the day they can finally bring their daughter home.
Although dozens of victims were recovered following the catastrophic July 4, 2025 flood, Cile’s body has never been found. On the first anniversary of the tragedy, her parents released an emotional statement thanking the volunteers, first responders, and state officials who continue searching for their daughter despite the passage of time.
The flooding at Camp Mystic remains one of the deadliest natural disasters to strike central Texas in recent years.
Twenty-seven campers and counselors lost their lives when rapidly rising floodwaters swept through the camp along the Guadalupe River, triggering one of the largest recovery operations ever conducted in the region.
While many families were eventually able to lay their loved ones to rest, the Steward family continues to live with the uncertainty of not knowing where Cile is.
In a statement released Friday, Cile’s parents, Will and Cici Steward, reflected on the painful anniversary.
“On this Fourth of July, it will be one year since our eight-year-old daughter, Cile, was killed in the floodwaters at Camp Mystic,” they wrote.
“We still do not know how we will face that morning.”
Despite their grief, the family expressed gratitude for the people who have refused to end the search.
“But we know we will not face it alone, because, in the wreckage of the Guadalupe River, there are still people searching, still refusing to leave our daughter behind,” the statement continued.
“Their faithfulness is the reason we can meet that day at all. Thank you to each and every one of you.”
The Stewards also acknowledged the continued support they have received from Texas officials and emergency response agencies.
Their statement specifically thanked Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) for their assistance throughout the past year.
The family also expressed appreciation for the many volunteers, recovery crews, and search teams who continue working along the Guadalupe River.
According to the Stewards, those ongoing efforts provide hope that one day Cile will finally be brought home.
Over the past year, numerous volunteer organizations have returned to the river on multiple occasions, continuing searches despite difficult terrain and changing environmental conditions.
Many have said they remain committed to helping provide closure for the Steward family.
The anniversary has prompted renewed remembrance across Texas for everyone affected by the Camp Mystic disaster.
Memorial events have been held to honor the campers, counselors, rescue personnel, and families whose lives were forever changed by the catastrophic flooding.
Community members have also continued supporting affected families through charitable events, remembrance ceremonies, and volunteer initiatives.
For the Steward family, however, the anniversary represents not only a day of remembrance but also another reminder that their daughter’s story remains unfinished.
They say the unwavering commitment shown by those still searching has given them strength during an unimaginably difficult year.
As recovery efforts continue, the family remains hopeful that one day they will finally be able to bring Cile home and lay her to rest.
Until then, they say every volunteer, every search team, and every person who continues looking for their daughter serves as a powerful reminder that she has not been forgotten.
One year after the floodwaters forever changed their lives, the Stewards continue to hold onto hope—supported by a community that refuses to stop searching for the little girl who is still missing.
