On November 4, 2019,  three women and six children were killed in Northern Mexico, by a Drug Cartel gang.

The women and children were attacked on Monday afternoon, traveling between the states of Sonora and Chihuahua.  A video of the car at the scene appeared to be burned, and had multiple bullet holes. More than 200 bullet casings were found near the burned vehicle.

11 miles east of the burned vehicle, was another car, with the bodies of a mother and her 11 and 3 year old sons. A third vehicle was found east of the Chihuahua border, with a women’s body found nearby.

13 year old son of Dawna Langford, watched his mother die, and then took his six siblings to hide in bushes. According to the son, he covered them with branches before he walked 6 hours to find help. He reached a village and relayed the news of the mothers and children.

One child is currently missing, as the other 5 were flown to Tuscon for treatment. One of the children found alive was a 7 month old, discovered from one of the cars.

“We are heartbroken to hear of the tragedy that has touched these families in Mexico,” a church spokesman said in a statement emailed to NPR. “Though it is our understanding that they are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our love, prayers and sympathies are with them as they mourn and remember their loved ones.”

Mexican officials say they’re still investigating to determine whether the members of the families were targeted or if they were the victims of mistaken identity.

Describing what they are calling an ambush, the agency blamed the violence on criminal groups fighting for power.