‘The Ring’ and ‘Lilo & Stitch’ star Daveigh Chase’s cause of death revealed
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Former child star Daveigh Chase –– best known for voicing Lilo in “Lilo & Stitch” — died of AIDS at a Los Angeles hospital after a heartbreaking battle with drug addiction and homelessness.
The 35-year-old’s primary cause of death was listed as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with chronic polysubstance use — the use of more than one drug in a short period of time — also listed as a contributing factor, according to a Los Angeles Medical Examiner report obtained by Page Six on Monday.
Chase’s manner of death was ruled natural.
The “Ring” star died on June 16 after being diagnosed with meningitis and several “serious” blood infections that turned her body septic, according to her grief-stricken boyfriend Roy Hernandez.
Hernandez had created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help the late actress find “peace in her final days.”
“All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy,” he wrote in the fundraiser, detailing a “difficult childhood” where she was “bullied and struggled to find safety.”
“Behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship,” he wrote. “When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved.”
“Now, more than ever, I want to give her that sense of home and peace in her final days.”
A haunting video taken months before her death allegedly showed Chase sprawled out on the floor of a tent of Los Angeles’ Skid Row, looking malnourished. An outreach advocate said he witnessed her grow thinner every time he saw her.
Her manager, John Ryan, tried to save her from the infamous addiction-ridden zone, but couldn’t find her in time.
“We were so close to finding her,” he told The Post. “Daveigh was the sweetest and brightest light in Hollywood. I can’t believe this is real. Her legacy and work will live on forever.”
Chase’s breakout role came in the 2002 animated movie “Lilo & Stitch,” which spawned a franchise including a live-action remake of the original film released in 2025.
She also played Samara Morgan in the 2002 hit “The Ring” and appeared in HBO’s “Big Love.” Her final roles came in 2016, in the thriller “American Romance” and psychological horror “Jack Goes Home.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit FindTreatment.gov.