Kaylee Hottle’s Official Cause of Death Revealed

Jul 23, 2026 - 01:12

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‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Actress Kaylee Hottle's Official Cause of Death Revealed

New details have emerged in the tragic death of Kaylee Hottle.

One day after the Godzilla vs. Kong actress’ father Jonathan Hottle confirmed she passed away in a car crash in Maryland, the state’s chief medical examiner confirmed her cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries.

The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner also told E! News July 22 that Hottle's manner of death has been ruled an accident.

Hottle’s death was initially shared by her father in a Facebook livestream July 21. Alongside a video where the Texas native explained he had to fly to Maryland to claim his daughter’s body, he wrote in the caption of the stream, “I am taking a flight I never would like to take."

Elsewhere in his stream, her dad noted that authorities informed him Hottle’s heart had stopped en route to the hospital from the crash site. Frederick County Sheriff’s Office shared in a statement that a preliminary investigation into the collision determined a 19-year-old man had been operating a vehicle on a two-lane road with two other passengers when it veered to the right side and struck a culvert.

A release from the sheriff’s office confirmed, “Excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision.”

Elsewhere in the release, the sheriff’s office confirmed that the driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the other passenger declined medical attention at the scene.

Since news of Hottle’s death, several of her Godzilla costars have shared tributes to their late friend.

“I'm so devastated to hear this," Millie Bobby Brown wrote in a July 21 Instagram Story. "You will be deeply missed Kaylee.”

Amy Sussman/FilmMagic

Meanwhile, Rebecca Hall added in her own post, "My heart goes out to your family.”

Similarly, Eiza González noted her “heart is absolutely broken” by the news of the 19-year-old's passing.

"I know heaven has the sweetest, kindest girl,” González continued. “We will miss you terribly.”

Legendary Pictures, the production company behind the Godzilla franchise, also lauded Hottle’s trailblazing role as Jia, a deaf girl who used American Sign Language to communicate with Kong.

“Through her unforgettable portrayal of Jia, Kaylee brought extraordinary heart, humanity, and light to Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse,” the company noted in a statement shared to social media. “Her kindness, warmth, and remarkable talent touched everyone fortunate enough to work alongside her."

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