![\"Mandatory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_301816565-3da1.jpg\")
\n\t\tDaveigh Chase\u2019s cause of death has been confirmed (Picture: Jim Smeal\/BEI\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tDaveigh Chase\u2019s cause of death has been confirmed (Picture: Jim Smeal\/BEI\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
Former child star Daveigh Chase\u2019s cause of death<\/a> has been confirmed after she died aged 35.<\/p>\n Chase, best known for voicing Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch and starring in The Ring, died on June 17 in Los Angeles<\/a>.<\/p>\n The coroner\u2019s office has now ruled that Chase, who also went by Daveigh Schwallier, died of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a collection of serious illnesses caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).<\/p>\n A secondary cause of death was listed as \u2018chronic polysubstance use\u2019, which is when a person uses more than one drug or substance at the same time or within a short period of time, on which they can become dependent.<\/p>\n Speaking after her death, Chase\u2019s father, John David Schwallier, told the New York<\/a> Times that she had struggled with drug addiction and been homeless since she was 13. They had been estranged for many years.<\/p>\n Breaking the news of her death earlier this month, her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, made the announcement just after he had launched a GoFundMe to help her \u2018find comfort and peace\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t In the months leading up to her death, Chase faced several health problems.<\/p>\n She was hospitalised to be treated for severe malnutrition a few weeks ago after a period of extreme weight loss.<\/p>\n While in hospital, her condition deteriorated, and Chase was diagnosed with bacterial\u00a0meningitis, plus several severe systemic\u00a0bloodstream infections.<\/p>\n It was at this time that she was also informed that she had AIDS, with doctors saying that she did not have long to live.<\/p>\n Hernandez established his fundraiser to cover rising medical expenses. On the website, he detailed the difficulties she had faced post-acting, such as strained relationships with her family, systemic bullying, and housing instability.<\/p>\n \u2018After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA,\u2019 he wrote.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved. Together, we found moments of happiness and hope.\u2019<\/p>\n Chase was pronounced dead mere hours after the crowdfunding page went up, her organs having failed.<\/p>\n Her boyfriend added in his announcement that \u2018everything changed\u2019 when Chase\u2019s bloodstream infections led to septic complications, ultimately causing her body to shut down.<\/p>\n However, a dispute followed in the subsequent days, as Chase\u2019s father and her former manager, John Ryan, instructed people not to donate to Hernandez\u2019s fundraiser.<\/p>\n Ryan insisted that Chase\u2019s family would be independently arranging her funeral and cremation, which Hernandez had claimed would be paid for using the donations.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, former colleagues and friends of Chase\u2019s have been paying tribute to her, with fans reminiscing on how she played a key part in their \u2018childhood memories\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t One deeply heartfelt tribute came from Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the directors of Lilo & Stitch, who\u00a0posted an illustration on Instagram\u00a0showing Stitch wiping a tear from his eye.<\/p>\n Speaking in 2022 about casting Chase, Sanders told Hawaii Public Radio: \u2018That was a very, very difficult voice to cast\u2026 And one day, this girl came in, and her name was Daveigh Chase.<\/p>\n \u2018She sat at the microphone, and she started doing her thing. Dean and I looked at each other, and we knew we had found her.\u2019<\/p>\n The actress began retreating from public life in 2015; she failed to attend a meeting with filmmaker Rob Reiner<\/a>, who died last December<\/a>, with her manager determining that she\u2019d disappeared.<\/p>\n At this time, she had no contact with family or friends either. By 2016, she had sparked speculation that she\u2019d retired from showbiz entirely.<\/p>\n Her final acting credits came that year \u2013 the thriller American Romance and the psychological horror Jack Goes Home, in which she had a supporting role. Additionally, she featured in the video game\u00a0Let It Die, providing the English voice of Kiwako Seto.<\/p>\n Chase\u2019s other, more well-known gigs included playing Samantha Darko, the younger sister of Jake Gyllenhaal<\/a>\u2019s character, in Donnie Darko (2001) and playing creepy girl Samara Morgan in The Ring (2002), which started her career.<\/p>\n She lent her voice to Spirited Away (2001) and voiced Lilo in Disney\u2019s animated hit the year after, as well as throughout its media franchise.<\/p>\n As she grew older, she transitioned into more mature roles, appearing in the HBO drama Big Love (2006-2011) and independent films, including\u00a0Yellow\u00a0(2012).<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Daveigh](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_43981399-6e4e.jpg\")
\n\t\tChase was known for starring in movies like The Ring (Picture: DreamWorks Pictures)<\/p>\n![\"LOS](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_43981273-433a-e1782761783803.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe former child actress left the industry in 2016 (Picture: Donato Sardella\/WireImage)<\/p>\n![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_254498620-16c2-e1782762521566.jpg\")
\n\t\tShe voiced Lilo throughout the Disney franchise (Picture: Walt Disney\/Everett\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
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