Family members of Sonora mass killing victims still in shock
(Kenneth Miller & Lafe Langford Jr.)
TUCSON, Ariz. - Relatives of the nine Americans who were killed in Northern Mexico are still trying to understand the tragedy.
The massacre, which happened on Monday, left six children and three women dead. The victims were attacked in their vehicles.
In the aftermath of the massacre, three children, ages seven, five, and nine months, were taken to Tucson’s Banner University Hospital. The seven-year-old went through another surgery and blood transfusion on Wednesday.
Much of the family are now headed back to Mexico to see the scene of the massacre, and prepare the funerals.
"Most of us are just numb and still in shock," said Emily Langford, in a phone interview.
Langford Shem Stubbs, both family members, insist the attack on innocent women and children was no accident.
"The mafias are fighting, so maybe they wanted them to come up there when they burnt the vehicle," said Stubbs. "Maybe they were trying to tell us to get out of there. Who knows?"
From the ashes, however, also came amazing stories of survival. A handful of children hid behind bushes and under brush, helping each other until the coast was clear. Then, the oldest, a 13-year-old boy, walked more than 10 miles to get help.
"He was walking back. He was being shot at again, so he had to jump off the main road and hide for a little while," said Langford.
Family members say it’s time the U.S. government got involved, now that Mexico can't or won't stop the cartels.
"We need help from our President," said Langford. "We need help from the United States because we want justice."
Before that happens, however, the family will have to heal the injured, and bury the dead.
An arrest was made over the past 24 hours thought to be connected to the crime, but Mexican officials backed off of that on Wednesday.
Family members say funerals will be held on Thursday for a mother and two children.
GoFundMe for Mexican attack victims
https://www.gofundme.com/f/langford-and-miller-family-tragedy