Entire family swept away in Texas floods as search for victims takes grim new turn
DAILY MAIL NEWS
Story by Maryann Martinez In Kerrville, Texas
10/07/25
In an area nearly four times the size of Manhattan, the search continues for the dead and missing in Texas Hill Country.
After catastrophic flooding July 4, at least 173 people are still missing while 119 others have already been confirmed dead.
Among those yet to be located is an entire family; Leonardo Romero, his wife Natalia Venzor, and their one-year-old son Carlos.
All that’s left of their riverfront home is the cement slab after their mobile home was washed away with them in it.
In a grim turn, Erica remained hopeful her daughter would be found alive because Natalia’s 19-year-old step-son, Leo Jr., who was also in the house the morning the of the flooding, was found in debris in the Guadalupe River, not far from the house.
However, there has been no sign of his step-mom, his dad or baby brother five days later.
‘It’s been torture, just pure torture,’ Natalia Venzor’s mom, Erica, told of waiting to learn of her daughter’s fate.
Leo Jr. was hospitalized due to his injures after spending nearly four hours waiting to be rescued.
Entire family swept away in Texas floods as search for victims takes grim new turn
Entire family swept away in Texas floods as search for victims takes grim new turn
‘I went and gave DNA in case they find them deceased, even though I’m hoping they’re not found that way. I’m hoping they’re still alive,’ Erica explained.
The missing family’s neighbor, Greg Atkins, told Daily Mail state and local search and rescue crews have not been to the property looking for them.
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‘Leo was a sweet, dear, precious man,’ Atkins said of the missing father.
‘The Hispanic community came together for Leo. They came down here the day it started and they had a Bobcat that had a scoop on it, and they were tearing into the remains of (Leo’s) house that was wrapped around that tree, hoping to find him.’
Natalia’s believes not everyone who is missing has had the same resources as the missing children from Camp Mystic.
‘No, not really. It’s like they’re mainly focusing on Camp Mystic,’ Venzor added.
Thursday morning, rescue teams moved into untouched areas of Kerrville.
Teams searched the south bank of the Guadalupe River, across from various camp grounds and RV park where many of the missing were last seen.
With heavy equipment, first responders moved giant trees and debris piles that dwarfed excavators and back hoes, looking for human remains.
Some residents Daily Mail spoke to had concerns that authorities are not giving equal consideration to all the missing individuals (Pictured: Texas State Troopers inspect the remnants of a playground destroyed by a fallen tree)
Some residents Daily Mail spoke to had concerns that authorities are not giving equal consideration to all the missing individuals (Pictured: Texas State Troopers inspect the remnants of a playground destroyed by a fallen tree)
Teams equipped with body bags are searching areas near the Guadalupe River. Three bodies were discovered on Tuesday (Pictured: Debris sits along the river after it was carried away in the initial flooding
Teams equipped with body bags are searching areas near the Guadalupe River. Three bodies were discovered on Tuesday (Pictured: Debris sits along the river after it was carried away in the initial flooding.
Some volunteers believe there are more people missing than the official count from the state government (Pictured: Women organize clothing and other belongings at Camp Mystic, one of the summer camps that was devastated by the flash flooding)
Some volunteers believe there are more people missing than the official count from the state government (Pictured: Women organize clothing and other belongings at Camp Mystic, one of the summer camps that was devastated by the flash flooding)
Areas that had been cleared were marked in green to signify attention could be paid elsewhere.
Each team is quipped with body bags.
The search reached this section of the river late Tuesday, and three bodies were discovered not long after.
Cadaver canines raced into the bank with renewed pressure to find those were haven’t been seen since Friday.
Volunteer Joy Molina, who lives just 40 feet from the river, believes the number of missing will exceed even what the state has publicly said.
‘This whole area was filled with campers and people,’ she said pointing across the water to north side of the Guadalupe.
‘Hardly any of them made it out.’
No one has been found alive since Friday, officials confirmed Tuesday.
But that’s not the point for the volunteers who have driven from Austin, San Antonio, and Houston to give their time.
‘We’re here to give closure,’ one veteran from Austin told Daily Mail.
Another man took days from his real estate business in San Antonio.
‘I just want to do what I can,’ he said as he put on water boots.
Like worker bees, they arrived by the dozen, following the direction of trained first responders.
