Godzilla star Kaylee Hottle’s cause of death confirmed

Kaylee Hottle, 18, was killed in an accident on Tuesday (Picture: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty) Godzilla vs. Kong actress Kaylee Hottle’s cause of death has been confirmed after she was involved in a single-vehicle collision. The 18-year-old was one of two passengers in a car that swerved into a culvert at high speed in Frederick, Maryland, on Tuesday morning. She died of multiple blunt force injuries in the crash, the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has now confirmed to Deadline. The publication also reports that the manner of death is listed as accidental and an initial autopsy was completed Wednesday morning. Her father, Joshua Hottle, was the first to reveal the news of her death in a 23-minute livestream on Facebook, later confirmed to TMZ, sharing in American Sign Language that she had died after being involved in a car accident in Maryland. The late actress, who was also deaf, was best known for starring as Jia in two Godzilla films, the first in 2021. She then reprised her role for Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire three years later. Hottle’s father shared that officials informed him of the crash, and he had flown out to Maryland to retrieve her body after he had been called and notified that her heart stopped on the way to the hospital. Frederick County Sheriff’s Department previously confirmed in a statement that deputies and the county’s fire and rescue service responded to a fatal single-vehicle collision on Windsor Road in Ijamsville at 2.52am on Tuesday, July 21. The driver of the car, a 1995 Honda Accord, was described as ‘a 19-year-old Frederick man’, with the vehicle travelling off the right side of the two-lane roadway and striking a culvert, possibly at ‘excessive speed’. While the driver was transported to a local hospital ‘with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening’, the second passenger declined medical treatment at the scene. The Sun claims that audio from dispatchers revealed first responders ‘scrambled to find an American Sign Language interpreter’ to bring to the scene. It also reports that both an ambulance and a medevac helicopter were dispatched to the scene to transport the young actress, but she was pronounced dead upon arrival at an area trauma centre. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit. Millie Bobby Brown paid tribute to Hottle after the news of her death broke, declaring herself ‘devastated’, after they worked together on Godzilla vs. Kong. ‘I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee,’ the Enola Holmes 3 star, 22, wrote in a heartfelt Instagram Story, accompanying it with a photo of Hottle in the movie. Co-star Rebecca Hall also shared her shock, alongside a series of photos of herself with Hottle on the set of the movie to Instagram. ‘Devastated to hear this news. My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed Kaylee,’ the 44-year-old wrote. Hottle played a teenager in the Godzilla franchise who lives on Skull Island with Dr Ilene Andrews (Hall) as her adoptive mother, and communicates with King Kong through sign language. Actress Marlee Matlin, the only deaf actress to have won the Oscar for best actress (for 1987’s Children of a Lesser God), posted a tribute as well. ‘I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle,’ Matlin, 60, wrote. ‘May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity.’ ‘Such a privilege to have met Kaylee last year. Please be kind to one another. Take the time to listen to your child. Say 🤟🏼 each time you part,’ she added, next to a photo of herself with Hottle at Texas School for the Deaf, where she was a student. The school also shared a statement following news of her death. In a Facebook post, it read: ‘It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland. ‘Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.’ Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin More to follow. Arrow MORE: Why are Brad Pitt’s children distancing themselves from him as another drops his name Arrow MORE: Late Grammy-nominated singer Jubilant Sykes ‘stabbed 78 times by son’ Arrow MORE: Kelly Osbourne ‘aching every single day’ one year after death of dad Ozzy