HOUSTON — The family of Chloe Childress is mourning the loss of their beloved daughter after she was identified as one of the victims of the catastrophic flooding that tore through the Texas Hill Country over the Fourth of July weekend.

The catastrophic flooding in Central Texas has left at least 82 people dead, including three Houston-area residents.

Debates and finger-pointing began almost immediately, with Texans questioning whether the state is ignoring the effects of climate change and whether state and federal budget cuts to the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration impacted the ability to deliver timely warning messages.