Behind the haunting gaze of The Ring’s Samara Morgan and the vibrant, beloved voice of Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, was a real person whose final years were defined by a quiet, tragic struggle far removed from the Hollywood spotlight.
Daveigh Chase, who captivated audiences as one of the most prominent child stars of the early 2000s, died on June 16 at a Los Angeles hospital. She was 35 years old.
Following days of speculation and conflicting narratives surrounding her sudden passing, official records from the Los Angeles Medical Examiner have brought the stark reality of her final days to light. The medical examiner’s report confirmed that Chase died of natural causes resulting from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
The report also cited chronic polysubstance use as a significant contributing factor to her death. Defined by medical professionals as a destructive pattern of using multiple substances simultaneously, it was a battle that friends say ultimately isolated the former actress from those who loved her most.
The initial news of Chase’s death was broken by TMZ on June 17, accompanied by an explanation from her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez. At the time, Hernandez claimed she had succumbed to meningitis and severe blood infections. He had previously launched a GoFundMe campaign while Chase was still hospitalized, claiming her condition was critical and that doctors had warned him time was running out.
However, that fundraiser quickly ignited a bitter, public rift within Chase’s inner circle.
Following her death, Chase’s longtime friend and former manager, John Ryan, issued a scathing statement to Deadline, urging the public to stop donating. Ryan asserted that Chase’s family possessed ample means to handle her final arrangements and claimed her father had never authorized Hernandez to act on her behalf.
“That GoFundMe is not going toward ANY expenses for Daveigh,” Ryan stated bluntly. “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. This man making these claims brought her into the hospital in terrible condition and didn’t let any of the family know until she passed so he can control the dialogue.”
The chaotic nature of her final days stood in heartbreaking contrast to the immense promise of her early career. After cementing her place in pop culture history, Chase gradually retreated from the entertainment industry, walking her last red carpet in 2013.
Her departure from Hollywood marked the beginning of a devastating downward spiral. In her final years, Chase grappled with severe drug addiction and was reportedly living on Los Angeles’ Skid Row, vulnerable and cut off from her past life.
“It’s such a tragedy,” said Shawn Rosenthal, a close friend of Chase between 2018 and 2023.
Rosenthal recalled a deeply creative soul who possessed talents the world never got to fully appreciate. “She was an incredible singer, and we would play music together that, unfortunately, we never had a chance to record. I wound up getting clean in 2023, which is why I haven’t seen her since then.”
He described a desperate, ultimately unsuccessful effort by those who truly loved her to pull her back from the edge.
“Some of her sober friends and I were trying to find her and get her help, but to no avail,” Rosenthal lamented. “She was surrounding herself with the worst of the worst people. It’s such a tragedy because no one cared for her best interests at all. I pray she’s just finally at peace.”