Texas officials have revealed that a 20-month-old girl was shot in the back by Mexican soldiers, when her family drove between a military patrol and a vehicle which was transporting cartel suspects.

As reported in The Guardian, the accidental shooting occurred in the border state of Tamaulipas.

Although the shooting, which took place near the border town of Camargo, happened one week ago, it has only just now been confirmed.

According to the head of the federal prosecutors' office in Texas, Guadalupe Salinas, the toddler's injures were not life threatening, and she is currently receiving treatment in San Antonio, Texas. 

The toddler was not the only one injured. Salinas said that the child’s mother was also slightly wounded from either a bullet or glass fragments, and another girl in the car was grazed by a bullet.

The family in the vehicle, all of whom were U.S. citizens, were visiting relatives in Tamaulipas, a border area known as a notorious cartel battle zone.

The U.S. embassy in Mexico City has acknowledged reports of a wounded U.S. citizen but has so far not offered any information pertaining to the victim’s name or hometown.

The family was attacked when Mexican soldiers, following an SUV of cartel suspects, suspected the travelers were also criminals.

“They got to the car and realized that, no, it was women and children,” Salinas said.

As Fox News, reports Mexican authorities have been in contact with the family.

According to the Los Angeles Times Tamaulipas is considered to be one of the most violent states in Mexico. During a particularly violent week in February, there were 40 street gun battles in several Tamaulipas municipalities.