The father of the 18-year-old deaf actress announced the tragic news on Tuesday as he was waiting to take a flight to reclaim her body.

Kaylee Hottle dies at 18: What was the ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ actress’ cause of death?
Joshua Hottle shared in a video on social media that his 18-year-old daughter, Kaylee Hottle, has died. He told TMZ that she was killed in a tragic car accident in Maryland on Tuesday morning.
Authorities contacted Kaylee’s father to inform him that her heart had stopped en route to the hospital. He had only learned that his daughter had been in a serious car accident moments before.
In his sign-languaged message the ASL Storyteller at Texas School for the Deaf said that he was on his way to reclaim Kaylee’s body.
🕊️ "Godzilla vs. Kong" star Kaylee Hottle has died at 18.
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 21, 2026
What we know: https://t.co/BH9doYU7V2 pic.twitter.com/znZtlC0A8A
The deaf actress, who comes from multi-generational deaf family, began her acting career in commercials. The Atlanta-native is best known for her role as Jia in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.”
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