The daughter of a Mexican journalist who was struck by a stray bullet during a hit on her father has died in hospital.

Antonio de la Cruz – who worked as a reporter for the newspaper Expreso – was riddled with bullets outside his home in Puerta de Tamatan, Ciudad Victoria, on Wednesday morning (29th June).

He was buried in the Jardines Del Cielo cemetery in Ciudad Victoria on Friday.

His daughter Cinthya, 23, was leaving the house with him at the time and was hit in the skull by a bullet during the attack.

She spent 48 hours fighting for her life in the city’s general hospital and died just an hour after her father’s funeral.

Tamaulipas state governor Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca said in a statement: “I am very sorry to report the death of the young Cinthya de la Cruz Martinez.

“The medical team did everything humanly possible to avoid this outcome.

“I express my condolences to her mother and her family and reiterate my commitment that this fact will not go unpunished.”

Antonio de la Cruz leaves behind two other daughters and a wife.

Local politician Gustavo Cardenas described him as a “family man”.

The authorities are investigating the killings, but despite the state governor’s pledge, around 95 per cent of crimes in Mexico are reported to go unpunished.

No suspects had been identified at the time of reporting.

Antonio de la Cruz is the 12th journalist to have been murdered in six months in Mexico, which is considered the most dangerous country in the world for journalists outside active war zones.