Daveigh Chase, the actress best known for her role in the 2002 horror film The Ring and as the voice of Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch, died at the age of 35 earlier this month. Her cause of death has now been confirmed as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), according to a Los Angeles medical examiner's report. The report also listed chronic polysubstance use as a significant contributing condition.
Details of Her Death
On June 16, it was announced that Chase had died following a sudden health battle. The medical examiner determined her manner of death to be natural, after she passed away in a hospital. Chronic polysubstance use, as defined by the Cleveland Clinic, involves using more than one substance in a pattern that negatively affects health and quality of life.
Prior to the official cause of death, her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, had told TMZ that she died after contracting meningitis and suffering from several serious blood infections. He had set up a GoFundMe page in the days before her death to cover her medical expenses, describing her difficult upbringing and their shared hopes for a safe and happy life together.
Controversy Over Fundraiser
Following her death, John Ryan, Chase's former manager and long-time friend, urged the public not to donate to the GoFundMe campaign. He claimed that Chase's estate had sufficient funds to cover her cremation and that her father, John Schwallier, had never authorized the fundraiser. In a statement to Deadline, Ryan said: "That GoFundMe is not going toward ANY expenses for Daveigh. Myself, her father, her uncle and all of us close friends who knew her for decades are encouraging people not to donate to this page." He further alleged that Hernandez brought Chase to the hospital in poor condition and did not inform her family until after her death.
Legacy and Career
Daveigh Chase rose to fame as a child star, earning critical acclaim for her role as Samara Morgan in The Ring and voicing the beloved character Lilo in Lilo & Stitch. Her death at age 35 has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans and colleagues, highlighting her contributions to film and animation.
