Daveigh Chase, the beloved child star who voiced Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch and starred in The Ring and Spirited Away, died earlier this month at age 35 after a complication with meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis, her partner Roy Hernandez confirmed to TMZ.
Final Years: A Life Away from the Spotlight
After stepping away from acting in 2016, Chase led a private life. Friends now reveal she was unrecognisable in her final years. Shawn Rosenthal, a close friend from 2018 to 2023, told PEOPLE: "She was very unrecognisable compared to her photos from when she was making films and doing voice-overs on TV shows." He added that she was "surrounding herself with the worst of the worst people" and that "no one cared for her best interests at all."
Legal Troubles and Homelessness
Reports indicate Chase struggled with drug addiction and was living on the streets of Los Angeles. In 2017, she was charged with riding in a stolen BMW, and in 2018, she faced a charge for possession of a controlled substance, according to TMZ and The Blast.
Family Heartbreak
Chase's father, John, revealed she had struggled with drug addiction since age 13 and that he hadn't spoken to her since she was 19. Her mother, Cathy, told MailOnline she let out "a guttural scream" upon learning of her death. Cathy attributed Chase's downward spiral to a 2016 motorcycle accident that led to a prescription for strong painkillers like oxycodone, which she said led to stronger drug use and a party lifestyle. "She was seeking drugs and was partying with the wrong people," Cathy said. "I never kicked my daughter out. She wanted freedom, and these people got her hooked on some drugs. That was the beginning."
A Legacy Remembered
Despite her struggles, Chase is remembered for her iconic roles. Rosenthal recalled her as "an incredible singer" and said they played music together that was never recorded. He concluded: "I feared hearing this news. I pray she's just finally at peace."
