The cause of death for Daveigh Chase, most known for her role in the horror film The Ring and for voicing Lilo in Lilo & Stitch, has been revealed. She died on June 16 at age 35.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner confirmed that Chase, who was also known as Daveigh Schwallier, died of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), with “chronic polysubstance use” listed as a secondary cause.
Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, previously told TMZ that she died after battling meningitis and an infection in her blood that led to septic issues. “Behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship,” he wrote in a GoFundMe post shortly before her death. “After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA. When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved. Together, we found moments of happiness and hope.”
Her father, John David Schwallier, also told The New York Times that Chase had been homeless, living in Los Angeles with her boyfriend near the hospital where she died. He also said that his daughter struggled with drugs since she was a teenager, and that they hadn’t spoken for over 15 years. However, he had been in contact with Hernandez and told the Times that he arrived at the hospital shortly before Chase died.
In addition to The Ring and Lilo & Stitch, Chase also had roles in Donnie Darko, Big Love, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, ER, Mercy and Beethoven’s 5th. Her final acting credit listed on IMDb.com was in 2016 for the video game Let It Die.
After she stepped away from acting, she found herself in some legal trouble, including charges of drug possession and joyriding in a stolen car.
