The heartbreaking story of former child star Daveigh Chase has taken another tragic turn.
Nearly two weeks after the actress-best known for voicing Lilo in Lilo & Stitch and terrifying audiences as Samara in The Ring-passed away at just 35 years old, officials have now confirmed her official cause of death.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, Chase died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The report also lists chronic polysubstance use as a significant contributing condition. Despite the devastating circumstances, her death was officially ruled natural.
The findings come after her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, initially revealed that Chase had been hospitalized with meningitis and multiple severe blood infections that developed into sepsis. At the time, he shared that doctors had delivered a terminal diagnosis after treatments failed to improve her condition.
Just one day before her death on June 16, Hernandez launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of giving the actress "comfort and peace" during her final days. In an emotional message, he described Chase as someone who had endured years of personal hardship following a difficult childhood, estrangement from her family, and struggles finding stability after leaving Hollywood.
However, the fundraiser quickly became the center of controversy. Chase's former manager and members of her family publicly questioned the campaign, insisting her estate was capable of covering funeral expenses and expressing concerns over Hernandez's involvement. The dispute added another painful layer to the actress's already tragic final days.
For many fans, Chase will forever be remembered as one of the brightest young talents of the early 2000s. She voiced Lilo in Disney's beloved Lilo & Stitch, starred opposite Naomi Watts in The Ring, voiced Chihiro in the English-language version of Spirited Away, appeared in Donnie Darko, and later played Rhonda Volmer on HBO's Big Love. She stepped away from acting after her final screen appearances in 2016.
News of the medical examiner's report has reignited sadness among fans, many reflecting on how a performer who once seemed destined for a lifelong Hollywood career ultimately spent her final years battling serious health issues and personal struggles far from the spotlight. Her death marks a sobering end to one of Hollywood's most memorable child-star success stories.
