Additional information regarding Kaylee Hottle‘s tragic passing has been disclosed.
The Godzilla vs. Kong actress succumbed to multiple blunt force injuries in a car accident on Tuesday, July 21, as verified by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to Deadline.
Her death was classified as accidental. An initial autopsy was performed on Wednesday, July 22, with results pending release.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Hottle had passed away following a car accident in Maryland at the age of 18.
On Tuesday, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office released a statement confirming their response to a single-vehicle crash in Ijamsville, Maryland, at approximately 2:52 a.m. local time.
The investigation revealed that a 19-year-old man lost control of his vehicle, veering off the road and hitting a culvert. The report suggested that excessive speed might have contributed to the accident.
The driver, whose identity remains undisclosed, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One passenger refused medical attention at the scene, while Hottle, the second passenger, was transported to a local trauma center where she was declared deceased.
The accident is still under investigation by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit.
Hottle became known for her role as Jia, a deaf child adopted by Rebecca Hall’s character, Dr. Ilene Andrews, in the Godzilla series. Her character used sign language to communicate with King Kong.
“Heartbroken to hear this news,” Hall, 44, expressed on Instagram on Tuesday, sharing nostalgic photos from the Godzilla vs. Kong set. “Sending love to your family. You will be missed, Kaylee.”
Co-star Millie Bobby Brown also commented, “I’m heartbroken to hear this. Kaylee will be sorely missed.”
Godzilla vs. Kong star Rebecca Hall shared an emotional tribute to her onscreen adopted daughter, Kaylee Hottle, following the teenager’s death at age 18. “Devastated to hear this news. My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed, Kaylee,” Hall, 44, captioned a series of photos of herself and Hottle on the set […]
Hottle was born in Atlanta and belonged to a multi-generational deaf family. She grew up in Austin, Texas, and attended the Texas School for the Deaf.
Besides her work in the MonsterVerse films, Hottle appeared in a 2021 episode of Magnum P.I. and continued to achieve success in Hollywood. In 2024, she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Younger Performer in a Film for her performance 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 mentioned to 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.”
