BABIES were reportedly burned alive and kids shot in the back after ruthless cartel killers slaughtered nine US Mormons in a "targeted" hit in Mexico.

The helpless victims were ambushed by the merciless gunmen as they drove to a wedding in the border state of Sonora yesterday.

12 Mum Rhonita Maria LeBaron died along with four of her children

12 Rhonita's twins Tiana and Titus, six months, died in an SUV with their mother when a Mexican cartel gunman opened fire Credit: Facebook

Police have arrested three people in connection with the depraved massacre, a source told Milenio Televisión earlier today - while US super cops in the FBI have also offered to help Mexican authorities.

Seventeen members of the LeBaron and Langford families were travelling in three cars when gunmen sprayed their vehicles with bullets.

Some of the victims - including babies - were then reportedly burned alive amid fears female victims were raped, reports DailyMail.com.

Alex LeBaron, who said he lost family members in the attack, told CNN: "Women and children were massacred, burnt alive. Mothers were screaming for the fire to stop."

Several family members have now told how gunmen opened fire on one child running away and revealed how others burned to death inside a car that was torched.

Other young children managed to escape and hide by the roadside while one of the mothers was shot in the chest as she put her hands up to surrender.

Survivors described how one boy managed to hide his wounded siblings - some less than a year old - in bushes before he ran back to the nearby town to get help.

Women and children were massacred, burnt alive. Mothers were screaming for the fire to stop Family member Alex LeBaron

Others are still missing sparking genuine concerns the death toll in the wake of the atrocity will soon rise.

It is still unclear what motivated the killings, which took place on a dirt road between Chihuahua and Sonora states.

However, it is not the first time that members of the break-away church have been attacked in northern Mexico, where their forebears settled decades ago.

In 2009, Benjamin LeBaron, an anti-crime activist who was related to those killed in Monday's attack, was murdered by cartel killers in neighbouring Chihuahua state.

The authorities are now investigating whether or not the family were mistaken for a rival cartel as they were travelling in large SUVs which are favoured by the gangs,

Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said the attack could have been a case of mistaken identity between "conflicting groups in the area."

A relative of the victims told Fox13 that one of the cars suffered a flat tyre which it is feared could have put the families in the line of fire between warring cartel groups.

However, other family members believe it was a "targeted" kidnapping after one relation reported receiving a phone call hearing screams before they were executed.

12 Rhonita's daughter Krystal, ten, was also killed Credit: Facebook

12 Rhonita Maria LeBaron was killed along with four of her kids, including twins Tiana and Titus and ten-year-old daughter Krystal, pictured left

12 Emergency services provided immediate assistance before transferring the family Credit: AFP or licensors

12 A burned-out, bullet-ridden SUV containing the remains of some of the victims has been found Credit: Reuters

Earlier, it was revealed one mum died saving her baby during the bloodshed.

Christina Langford Johnson, 31, was among three mums and at least six kids - including twin babies - who were killed when gunmen ambushed their vehicles as they drove to a wedding in north Mexico.

Christina's seven-month-old baby Faith was found alive on the floor in the back of her Chevrolet Suburban.

Relatives say the infant was rescued after spending hours inside the car with her mum's body.

The vehicles were ambushed eight miles apart after setting off in a convoy from Bavispe, about 70 miles south of the US border.

They were heading to a wedding celebration in the neighbouring state of Chihuahua.

12 Howard LeBaron was also killed Credit: Facebook

12 Christina Langford was confirmed dead by a family member, while her seven-month-old daughter Faith was reportedly found alive on the floor in the back seat of the car

12 Medical personnel of the Health Secretary and of the Mexican Air Force transfer five members of the Lebaron family Credit: AFP or licensors

Mum Rhonita LeBaron, 33, had broken down in her SUV when gunmen opened fire, torching the vehicle and causing the petrol tank to explode.

She was found dead inside the bullet-ridden car along with her six-month-old babies, Titus and Tiana.

Two of Rhonita's other children, Krystal, ten, and Howard, 12, were also reportedly killed in the attack.

Eight miles ahead, Christina and Dawna Langford, 43, and two of Dawna's children, Trevor, 11, and Rogan, three, were also killed in other SUVs.

Dawna's seven other children were shot but survived, it's claimed.

Further children are understood to be missing after they escaped from the flames and fled.

A video posted on social media showed the charred and smoking remains of a vehicle riddled with bullet holes that was apparently carrying the victims when the attack happened.

It's incomprehensible, the evil. I don’t understand how someone could do that Leah Staddon

"This is for the record," says a male voice in an American accent, off camera, choking with emotion.

"Nita and four of my grandchildren are burnt and shot up."

All the victims lived in a Mormon community in La Mora, about 70 miles south of Douglas, Arizona, and had dual US and Mexican citizenship.

Some of their community worship with the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others are from polygamous offshoots.

Leah Staddon, who grew up in the same Mormon community, said her brother found one of the bullet-ridden cars with charred bodies inside.

"It's devastating," Staddon said. "It's incomprehensible, the evil. I don’t understand how someone could do that."

12 Xander Boe, four, the son of victim Christina Langford is pictured in hospital Credit: Facebook

Another relative said some family members were burned alive when their vehicle exploded.

He visited the scene and was left distraught after seeing the charred bodies inside the van.

He said the victims were innocent and were caught up in a war involving rival drug cartels.

Speaking to Milenio TV, he said: "This was a mistake. We do not know why. They are innocent women and children. They were going to see relatives. It is terrible."

Lafe Langford Jr., a relative of some of the victims, pleaded for help from emergency services.

“We can’t get a helicopter or any airplanes or airlifts," Langford said. "It’s going to be at least a six-hour journey to El Paso or Tucson.”

12

Posting on Facebook, Dawna's nephew Jhon LeBaron said that seven of Dawna's children had survived but were abandoned on a roadside.

He wrote: "My aunt Dawna's son Devon hid some of his shot and wounded siblings in the bushes and ran all the way back to town for help."

Trish Cloes posted on Facebook.: "My beautiful niece.. I'm heartbroken I'm so so sorry you became a victim of the evil in this world.

"You will always be my angel girl. Hold your babies tight. Love you Dawna, Rogan and Trevor eternally #familieswillbetogetherforever.

'The evil might of had a plan on this earth but God has a greater plan for our family.'

12

Cartel violence in Mexico In the first half of 2019, there were a staggering 17,608 gangland murders in Mexico - with 94 people being killed every single day. Last year saw a total of 33,341, making it the bloodiest year on record, but this year is set to be the most violent of all time. And the bloodshed is spilling into affluent tourist hotspots including Mexico City and Cancun - where over half a million Brits holiday every summer. While the latest homicide statistics are horrific, the methods cartels use to keep rivals in check is just as terrifying. In recent years, large cartels have splintered into smaller factions who then battle for previously shared turf, escalating the violence, and prompting kidnaps and torture.

Although it's not yet known what motivated the killings, but Chihuahua and Sonora state governments issued a joint statement saying a full-scale investigation had been launched.

Claudia Pavlovich Arellano, the governor of Sonora, said on Twitter that as a mother she was filled with deep pain by "the cowardly acts."

"I don't know what kind of monsters dare to hurt women and children," she wrote.

Senator for Sonora, Lilly Téllez, tweeted: "The massacre in Sonora cannot go unpunished."

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In the first half of 2019, there were a staggering 17,608 gangland murders in Mexico- with 94 people being killed every single day.

Last year saw a total of 33,341, making it the bloodiest year on record, but this year is set to be the most violent of all time.

In recent years, large cartels have splintered into smaller factions who then battle for previously shared turf, escalating the violence, and prompting kidnaps and torture.