Police are probing the death of a congressional staffer who was found on fire at her home in Texas.
Regina Santos-Aviles, 35, was discovered by her mother, who called emergency crews to the Uvalde residence on the evening of September 13.
She was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center but died from her injuries the next morning, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Santos-Aviles, remembered by friends and family as a ‘devoted mother’ to her eight-year-old son, had served as the regional district director for Republican US Representative Tony Gonzales since 2021.
Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado said there was no indication of foul play, but the Texas Rangers are helping complete their investigation.
Santos-Aviles’s mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, described the incident as a tragic accident and that her daughter’s final words were: ‘I don’t want to die.’
‘When we arrived, we learned of a fire behind the residence that had been put out with a fire extinguisher,’ the fire department chief Mario Rangel told the San Antonio Express-News.
In a statement, Congressman Tony Gonzales said: ‘We are all heart-stricken by the recent news.
‘Regina devoted her profession toward making a difference in her community.
‘She will always be remembered for her passion towards Uvalde and helping the community become a better place.’
Police said they were called to Santos-Aviles’s home in Uvalde at around 9.30pm, according to a call sheet obtained by KSAT.
The Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department also received a call at 9.39pm for an ‘individual who was on fire.’
The call was canceled but firefighters still attended to the home since it was close to the station.
By the time they arrived, the fire had been put out.
Fire department chief Mario Rangel said: ‘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.’
Hellbound and Down 