Congressional Staffer Regina Santos-Aviles Dies At 35 After Catching Fire At Her Texas Home

A congressional staffer for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales has died after catching fire at her Texas home. She was 35. Authorities confirmed to Texas Public Radio that Regina Santos-Aviles was pronounced dead on Sept. 14 at a San Antonio hospital, where she was taken the previous night with serious burns. Emergency medical services, firefighters and law enforcement arrived on the scene around 9:30 p.m. in response to a disturbance call, according to an incident report obtained by multiple outlets including People. Uvalde police chief Homer Delgado reportedly said that no foul play is suspected at this time, but local law enforcement and the Texas Rangers will continue investigating as standard procedure. Santos-Aviles’ mother told the San Antonio Express-News that she drove to her daughter’s home upon hearing her sound distraught on the phone. According to her mother, Santos-Aviles was on fire as she arrived and still conscious when paramedics began treating her. “The last thing she said is, ‘I don’t want to die,'” her mother said. “And they told her, ‘We will do our best to make sure we get you taken care of.'” Her mother told the paper that she had found her daughter outside, calling her death an accident. The Express-News reports that fire chief Mario Range said a fire behind Santos-Aviles’ residence had been extinguished when they arrived. Santos-Aviles had been a Regional District Director for Rep. Gonzales’s office since 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had an 8-year-old son. Gonzalez spoke out on the tragedy in a statement that noted Santos-Aviles’ dedication to giving back. “We are all heart-stricken by the recent news. Regina devoted her profession toward making a difference in her community,” his statement read. “She will always be remembered for her passion towards Uvalde and helping the community become a better place.”