Regina Santos-Aviles, 35, a congressional staffer for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, died after being found severely burned outside her Uvalde home. Authorities responded to a disturbance on Geraldine Avenue Saturday night, where she was discovered on fire. Despite being airlifted to a San Antonio hospital, she later died. Her mother recalled her last words: “I don’t want to die.”

Her mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, said she had been on the phone with her daughter just before the incident, describing her as distraught and asking for her son. When she arrived, Santos-Aviles was already injured. Gonzales believes the tragedy was an accident.

The Uvalde Fire Department received a call at 9:39 p.m. about a person on fire. Although the call was canceled, firefighters arrived to find a blaze behind the house had been extinguished with a fire extinguisher. EMS crews were already treating Santos-Aviles.

Santos-Aviles had served as regional district director for Rep. Gonzales since 2021, helping communities access resources and funding. Gonzales said, “She will always be remembered for her passion towards Uvalde and helping the community become a better place.”

Police say there is no sign of foul play, but the case remains under investigation as the medical examiner works to determine the official cause of death.