Regina Santos-Aviles, a staffer for House Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, passed away after an ‘accident’ in which she caught on fire at her home Saturday, according to local news outlets. Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado confirmed that there were no signs of foul play in the incident, and the death was classified as an accident. The woman’s mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, also stated that her daughter had suffered burns, per the San Antonio Express-News.
The Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mario Rangel explained that the call was made regarding an individual who was on fire, and while the initial call was canceled as crews were en route, four firefighters responded due to the proximity of the residence to the station. Upon arrival, they found that a fire had been extinguished behind the residence, and EMS was already attending to the injured woman, who was later flown to a San Antonio hospital.
Rep. Gonzales issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the loss, calling Santos-Aviles a ‘valued member of our team’ and an ‘exceptional community leader.’ He emphasized that her contributions to the Uvalde community and surrounding areas would never be forgotten. Santos-Aviles had served in her role as regional district director for Gonzales, as noted on her LinkedIn profile.
Authorities have noted that the Uvalde Police Department has conducted an initial review of the incident as part of an ongoing investigation, and are coordinating with the Medical Examiner’s Office, Uvalde EMS, and the DPS Texas Rangers Office to complete the investigation. The police department reiterated that as a standard procedure, all unattended deaths are thoroughly investigated, and there is currently no indication of foul play.