Family recounts harrowing stories of young survivors of Mexican highway ambush

Image: Devin Langford, 13, had to walk for 14 miles back to his hometown of
Devin Langford, 13, had to walk for 14 miles back to his hometown of La Mora to get help. Copyright Family Photo
By Yuliya Talmazan and Caroline Radnofsky with NBC News World News
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Thirteen-year-old Devin Langford had to walk for about 14 miles to La Mora, where the family lived, to look for help.

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Harrowing tales of survival emerged after an apparent ambush in the Mexican border state of Sonora has left nine Americans dead, six of them children.Relatives of the victims told NBC News that a motorcade consisting of several families was attacked Monday, with three cars getting shot at and another set on fire.Miraculously, eight children, ranging in age from 7-months old to early teens, survived the ordeal. Some were left with serious injuries, family member, Kendra Lee Miller, told NBC News.

Devin Langford, 13, had to walk for 14 miles back to his hometown of La Mora to get help.
Devin Langford, 13, had to walk for 14 miles back to his hometown of La Mora to get help.Family Photo

After the attack, with no surviving adults and the oldest sibling shot in the foot, 13-year-old Devin Langford, whose mother, Dawna, and two other siblings were killed in the attack, had to walk for about 14 miles to La Mora, where the family lived, to look for help.Before setting off, Miller said Devin had to hide his wounded siblings in the bushes, covering them with branches.His sister, Mckenzie Langford, 9, was grazed in the arm with a bullet, but she also went to look for help after Devin did not come back, Miller said. Mckenzie got lost and walked for hours in the dark before she was found by search parties.Five of the surviving children sustained gunshot injuries, including 9-month-old Brixon Langford, who was shot in the chest, and 4-year-old Xander Langford, who was shot in the back. All five have now been transferred to the U.S. for treatment.

Mckenzie Langford, 9, with her mother Dawna, who was killed in the attack.
Mckenzie Langford, 9, with her mother Dawna, who was killed in the attack.Family Photo

Miller said the family was told that if the bullet had gone a quarter of an inch deeper into Brixon's chest, he would have been killed.The family is also worried about 8-year-old Cody Langford, who was shot in the jaw."His jaw is actually broken. He has fragments in his face," Miller said. "He is actually in a more serious condition than they thought."Miller said Devin and his 6-year-old brother Jake, who both escaped without injuries, are now back home with their family in La Mora."[They] are pretty calm," Miller said. "Last night, Devin was in shock, a little bit confused and just exhausted after a horrible, long day. Under the circumstances, I think they are being champs."A 7-month-old girl, Faith Johnson, was also among the survivors.Her mother, 29-year-old Christina Langford Johnson was killed in the attack.Miller said the baby was found in her car seat, uninjured.She is now back in La Mora with her grandmother.

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