Regina Santos-Aviles, a congressional staffer for U.S. Representative Tony Gonzalez, has died at the age of 35 after sustaining fatal burns in a fire at her Texas home.

Authorities confirmed to Texas Public Radio that Santos-Aviles was pronounced dead on September 14 at a San Antonio hospital, where she was rushed the previous night with severe burn injuries.

Emergency medical services, firefighters, and law enforcement responded around 9:30 p.m. to a disturbance call. According to an incident report cited by People magazine, Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado stated that no foul play is suspected at this time, though local law enforcement and the Texas Rangers are continuing to investigate as a standard procedure.

Santos-Aviles’s mother told the San Antonio Express-News that she had rushed to her daughter’s home after a distressing phone call. When she arrived, she found her daughter already on fire. Despite her critical injuries, Santos-Aviles remained conscious long enough to tell paramedics, “I don’t want to die,” her mother recalled.

Fire Chief Mario Rangel later confirmed that a fire behind Santos-Aviles’s residence had been extinguished when crews arrived.

Santos-Aviles had served as regional district director for Rep. Gonzalez’s office since 2021. According to her LinkedIn profile, she was also the mother of an 8-year-old son.

In a statement, Congressman Gonzalez paid tribute to her life and service:

“We are all heartstricken by the recent news. Regina devoted her profession toward making a difference in her community. She will always be remembered for her passion toward Uvalde and helping the community become a better place.”

Her sudden and tragic passing leaves a deep void in her family, colleagues, and community, who remember her as a dedicated public servant and a loving mother.