XIAO ESP32-C3 keeps dying.

I have a project built around the XIAO ESP32-C3. The problem is, the boards keep dying. I have lost 4 so far. Once they are dead, they no longer appear as a COM device in my workstation. Indeed, the LED light doesn't even come on when they are plugged in to the USB cable. They are dead, dead, dead.

I am powering the boards from their 5V pin using the output from a LM7805 voltage regulator supplied by 12V power supply. Both the inputs and the outputs of the LM7805 have 100uf capacitors. I'm not sure what more protection the ESP32-C3 needs. Has anyone else had this type of experience?