New details surrounding Kaylee Hottle’s death have been revealed.
The Godzilla vs. Kong actress died of multiple blunt force injuries in a car crash on Tuesday, July 21, the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to Deadline.
The manner of death is listed as accidental. An initial autopsy was also completed on Wednesday, July 22, with results to be released at a later time.
Earlier this week, news broke that Hottle had died after being involved in a car accident in Maryland. She was 18.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office previously issued a press release on Tuesday, confirming that officers responded to a single-vehicle collision in Ijamsville, Maryland, at about 2:52 a.m. local time.
A preliminary investigation shared that a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old man traveled off the right side of the road and struck a culvert. The press release noted that excessive speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash.
The driver, whose name has yet to be revealed, was transported to a local hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening. One of the passengers declined medical treatment at the scene, while the second passenger was identified as Hottle. She was transported from the scene to a trauma center in the area, where she was pronounced dead.
The crash is currently under investigation by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit.
Hottle was well known for playing Jia, a deaf youngster who is adopted by Rebecca Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews, in the Godzilla franchise. Her character communicated with King Kong via sign language.
“Devastated to hear this news,” Hall, 44, shared via Instagram on Tuesday with throwback photos from the set of Godzilla vs. Kong. “ My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed Kaylee.”
Costar Millie Bobby Brown added, “I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee.”
Hottle was born in Atlanta and comes from a multi-generational deaf family. She was raised in Austin, Texas, and attended the Texas School for the Deaf.
Outside of the MonsterVerse films, Hottle appeared in a 2021 episode of Magnum P.I. and continued finding success in Hollywood. In 2024, she received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Younger Performer in a Film for her work in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
“I see a lot of positive things. There’s not a lot of Deaf roles or opportunities out there,” Hottle shared with The Houston Chronicle in March 2024. “And so now we’re able, [and] I’m able to get them, and I think I’ve seen more and more growth and positivity.”
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