Regina Santos-Aviles, a staffer for Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, passed away after an “accident” in which she caught on fire at home Saturday.
Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado noted that there had not been any sign “of foul play.”
“It was an accident,” the woman’s mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, said, noting her daughter had sustained burns, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
The outlet also reported that Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mario Rangel said, “Dispatch advised of an individual who was on fire.”
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While the call got canceled as crews were en route, four firefighters responded since the residence was near the station, Rangel noted, according to the outlet.
“When we arrived, we learned of a fire behind the residence that had been put out with a fire extinguisher,” he said, according to the outlet. “At the same time, EMS personnel were attending to a female who had suffered burns. She was transported by EMS and, at some point, flown to a San Antonio hospital.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the fire department on Friday.
“We are devastated by the loss of Regina Santos-Aviles, who was a valued member of our team and an extraordinary community leader,” Gonzales told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The contributions she made to her beloved Uvalde community and the surrounding area will never be forgotten.”
Santos-Aviles had served as regional district director for the congressman, her LinkedIn profile indicates.
In a Uvalde Police Department press release Monday, Delgado noted, “Our agency has conducted an initial review of this incident as part of the ongoing investigation, and we are coordinating with the Medical Examiners Office, Uvalde EMS, as well as the DPS Texas Rangers Office in order to complete the investigation, retrieve records, and other related information, which may take some time.
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“Once again, our heart goes out to the victim’s family and all those affected by this loss,” Delgado said. “At this point, there is still no indication of foul play. As is our standard procedure, all unattended deaths are thoroughly investigated.”
