Former child star Daveigh Chase, known best for her roles in The Ring and Lilo & Stitch, has died at age 35.
Chase’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, confirmed the sad news of her passing to TMZ and revealed the late actress had been battling meningitis and a serious blood infection before her death on Tuesday.
Former child star Daveigh Chase has died at age 35. Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images
Hernandez explained Chase was suffering from septic issues from the meningitis and infection, causing her body to shut down.
According to TMZ Chase was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier this month, due to malnutrition.
Shortly before her death, Hernandez set up a charity fundraising page to help her “find comfort and peace” in her final days.
“Daveigh Chase, my girlfriend, has always been a light in my life. Many people know her as a talented childhood actor from ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ ‘Spirited Away,’ and ‘Donnie Darko.’ But behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship,” read the fundraising page.
“After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA. When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved. Together, we found moments of happiness and hope.”
But Chase got sick and he explained that her condition quickly deteriorated.
“Recently, everything changed. Daveigh was diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections. Her condition has become critical, and the doctors have told me she may not have much time left. All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy. Now, more than ever, I want to give her that sense of home and peace in her final days,” read the post.
He told TMZ that Chase died just hours after the fundraising page was created.
Daveigh Chase landed the role of Lilo in the 2002 hit movie Lilo & Stitch. Pictured at the premiere in Los Angeles. Photo by Kevin Winter/ImageDirect
Chase rose to fame as a child star in 2002, landing the lead role as Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch. She also reprised the role in the franchise’s TV series.
In 2002 she also played Samara Morgan in the horror classic The Ring, a role which earned her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.
Other roles Chase landed included voicing the character of Chihiro Ogino in the American dub of Spirited Away, and appearances in Donnie Darko, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, ER, Mercy and in 2006 she got a recurring role in HBO’s Big Love.
Another of her standout roles was the haunting performance she gave as Samara in The Ring. Stan
Her last role came in 2016, starring in American Romance.
After her final role, Chase stepped away from the spotlight and lived a quiet life.
Her last Instagram post, which was shared in 2017, showed the actress artfully posing with a unicorn balloon captioned: “Unicorns DO exist.