Kaylee Hottle, a child actress known for her role in two “Godzilla” films, died Tuesday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.
She was 18 years old.
“It is with deep sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the tragic passing of one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle,” the Texas School for the Deaf said in a statement Tuesday.
“Our hearts go out to Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates and all those who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement added.
In a statementthe Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said a 1995 Honda Accord, driven by a 19-year-old man, left the road and struck a culvert just before 3 a.m.
The driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said. A passenger refused to receive medical treatment on scene.
Hottle was the other passenger, according to the sheriff’s release. She was transported from the scene of the accident to a trauma center, where she was pronounced dead.
“Excessive speed appears to be a contributing factor in the collision,” the sheriff’s office said.
The school asked that “everyone respect the privacy of Kaylee’s family and refrain from sharing or speculating about the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, posted a video on Facebook announcing the death of his daughter. In the video, he spoke only in American Sign Language.
“I’m taking a flight that I never wanted to take,” he said, according to the NBC News affiliate. WBAL in Baltimore. He said he was flying to Maryland from Texas.
It was not immediately clear why Hottle was in Maryland at the time of the crash.
Hottle played Jia in “Godzilla vs. Kong” in 2021 and reprized the role in “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire” in 2024.
“We recognize that this loss will have a significant impact on our TSD community,” the school said, noting that counseling services will be available to students and staff who may need them.
“Please keep Kaylee’s loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this immense loss together,” the school wrote.
Hottle praised his school in a 2024 interview with the Houston Chroniclewhile also discussing the acting life that was afforded to her as a deaf woman.
“I would like to see more young deaf actresses get motivated when they see me on screen and I hope they get a chance in Hollywood as well,” she told the outlet. “But I just hope that they will be inspired, especially deaf people, to want to become an actor or actress when they see me on screen.”