Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo in Disney's "Lilo & Stitch," had millions of dollars in residuals untouched at the time of her death due to her struggles with addiction, her manager told the California Post. John Ryan, who managed Chase for over a decade, stated that Chase was "too far gone" to collect the funds from merchandise sales, theme park attractions, and other products that utilized her voice.
Ryan reported that he continued to receive SAG-AFTRA notices about unclaimed residual checks for Chase, indicating millions were available. He indicated that Chase was allegedly struggling with heroin and fentanyl addiction, which prevented her from accessing the money despite his efforts to contact her over the years.
Chase died on June 17 in a Los Angeles hospital after being admitted for malnutrition. TMZ reported that her official cause of death was meningitis and a blood infection. Ryan suggested that in cases like this, the next of kin, such as Chase's father, would typically be in a position to claim the accrued residuals.
Images surfaced in late 2025 reportedly showing Chase on skid row, appearing thin and unwell in a trailer. According to Ryan, he and Chase's stepsister, Gaia Brown, hired a private investigator to locate her and facilitate her entry into a rehabilitation program. Ryan stated that after seeing the social media video, he attempted to find Chase on skid row to get her into treatment, but she had "disappeared."
A GoFundMe campaign for Chase's cremation was initiated by someone claiming to be her boyfriend, a person unknown to her friends and family. Ryan cautioned against this, confirming that Chase had a trust account set up with SAG to cover all costs.