What caused Kaylee Hottle's death? Medical examiner releases findings

Kaylee Hottle's cause of death has been confirmed after the Godzilla vs. Kong star died in a Maryland car crash

Kaylee Hottle's official cause of death has been confirmed following the tragic car crash that claimed the young actor's life in Maryland. The Godzilla vs. Kong star was 18.

The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that Hottle died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the crash, with the manner of death ruled accidental. Deadline reported that an initial autopsy was completed on Wednesday following the fatal incident.

According to authorities, the crash occurred at around 3 a.m. on July 21 in Frederick County, Maryland. Investigators said Hottle was travelling as a passenger in a Honda Accord when the vehicle reportedly left the roadway at high speed before crashing into a ditch. She was transported to a nearby trauma centre, where she was later pronounced dead.

The driver, a 19-year-old Maryland man, was taken to hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while another passenger declined medical treatment at the scene. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Hottle's death was first announced by her father, Joshua Hottle, through a Facebook livestream delivered in American Sign Language. The Texas School for the Deaf, where she was a senior student, also confirmed the heartbreaking news.

The actor was widely recognised for portraying Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Her performance as the deaf orphan who forms a close bond with Kong earned widespread praise and a 2025 Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.

Hottle also appeared in an episode of Magnum P.I. and was attached to the upcoming thriller What Doesn't Kill Us, which remains in pre-production.