The official cause of death for actress Daveigh Chase has been determined as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner report. The report also cited chronic polysubstance use as a contributing factor. Her manner of death was ruled natural.
Chase died on June 16 at the age of 35. Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, stated that prior to her death, she had been diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections, which led to sepsis and organ failure. TMZ reported that she had been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier that month due to malnutrition.
Career Highlights
Chase gained widespread recognition in 2002 for her leading roles in Disney's animated film "Lilo & Stitch," where she voiced the titular character Lilo Pelekai, and in the horror film "The Ring," portraying the terrifying Samara Morgan. Her performance in "The Ring" earned her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.
Her other acting credits include "HBO's Big Love" as Rhonda Volmer, "Donnie Darko," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Beethoven's 5th," and "ER." Chase eventually stepped away from acting after her last on-screen appearance in the 2016 film "American Romance."
Personal Struggles and Final Days
In the days leading up to her death, Hernandez established a GoFundMe fundraiser to support Chase, describing her as having "faced more than her share of hardship" due to a difficult childhood and estrangement from her family. He mentioned that she had struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown Los Angeles.
In the GoFundMe campaign's description, Hernandez wrote about his promise to protect her and provide her with love and comfort. He stated that Chase's condition had become critical and doctors indicated she might not have much time left. He expressed a desire to give her a "sense of home and peace in her final days."
