Former Child Star Daveigh Chase Dies at 35 from AIDS-Related Complications; Sepsis and Meningitis Also Cited
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Daveigh Chase, known for voicing Lilo in Disney's *Lilo & Stitch* and starring in *The Ring*, died on June 16, 2026, at age 35 in a Los Angeles hospital.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled her cause of death as AIDS (search), with "chronic polysubstance use" listed as a significant contributing condition and the manner deemed "natural."
Her manager had initially reported she died from sepsis (search) after contracting meningitis (search), conditions that can co-occur and rapidly become life-threatening.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has determined that Daveigh Chase, the former child actress best known for voicing Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch and portraying the haunting Samara in The Ring, died from AIDS (search). The official findings, which also listed "chronic polysubstance use" — defined as the use of multiple drugs — under "other significant conditions," ruled her death to be "natural."
Chase died in a Los Angeles hospital on June 16, 2026, at the age of 35. Her father, John David Schwallier, told the New York Times that she had been homeless and living in Los Angeles with her boyfriend prior to her death.
Conflicting Early Reports on Cause of Death
In the days immediately following her passing, Chase's manager, John Ryan Jr., told the BBC that she had died from sepsis (search) after suffering from meningitis (search) in an LA hospital. The NHS explains that meningitis is an infection of the protective layers that cover the brain and spinal cord, and it can be very serious and even life-threatening if not treated quickly. In some cases, meningitis can lead to sepsis when the bacteria causing the infection spread beyond the meninges and enter the bloodstream. When meningitis and sepsis occur together, they increase the risk of serious complications, long-term disability, and death.
The medical examiner's subsequent ruling of AIDS (search) as the primary cause of death provides a more complete picture of the underlying condition that likely predisposed Chase to the severe infections described by her manager.
A Hollywood Career That Began in Childhood
Chase began acting at four years old, booking her first Hollywood job at age seven with a small part in the sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Her breakthrough came in 2001 when she appeared as Samantha Darko in the cult film Donnie Darko, playing Jake Gyllenhaal's onscreen sister. That same year, she voiced lead character Chihiro Ogino in the American dub of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away.
In 2002, Chase achieved widespread recognition with two iconic roles: the terrifying Samara Morgan in the American remake of The Ring, and the voice of Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch. Her performance as Samara earned her a 2003 MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, as well as an Annie Award for best voice acting in an animated feature production.
Personal Struggles and Retreat from Public Life
According to her manager, Chase effectively disappeared from public life in 2015 after failing to show up for a meeting with director Rob Reiner about a role. Ryan noted that she had been "sober a while" before she went missing.
In the years that followed, Chase faced a series of legal difficulties. She was arrested in February 2017 on a warrant for failing to appear in court for a traffic violation and was questioned regarding an unidentified man's death from an overdose. In November 2017, she was arrested again after being found in the passenger seat of a car believed to be stolen. In 2018, she was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In late 2025, Ryan became aware of a video that allegedly showed Chase on Skid Row. He managed to reach her by phone, but by the time he arrived at the location, she was no longer there.
On June 15, 2026, a man named Roy Hernandez, who identified himself as Chase's boyfriend, launched a GoFundMe campaign, writing that Chase had been "diagnosed with meningitis (search) and several serious blood infections" and that doctors had told him "she may not have much time left." Ryan later stated that Chase's family did not know about Hernandez and encouraged people not to donate to the fundraiser. Chase died the following day.
Ryan remembered Chase fondly, telling the BBC: "She was not very Hollywood. She'd rather eat at Bob's Big Boy and go home with the cats. She loved acting but wasn't into the fame scene. [...] She was the greatest."