KERRVILLE — Flood survivors fought back tears Thursday as they described losing children, going days without contact from emergency management and discovering human remains still scattered in waterways even after victims who had been partially recovered were officially marked as found.
The public testimony at the joint hearing of the Senate and House Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding in Kerrville underscored the devastating human toll caused by the Hill Country flooding as Texas lawmakers scrutinized official disaster response. Throughout the room, people wore green dresses, shirts, and pins to honor the memory of those lost at Camp Mystic.
Alicia Jeffrey Baker testified on behalf of her 11-year-old daughter Emmy, who died alongside her grandparents near the Casa Bonita development in Hunt, their family retreat since 1990. Baker waited 12 hours at Ingram Elementary with no officials in charge and no information available. Her daughter’s body wasn’t identified until July 10, recognizable only by her charm bracelet…