The father of late actress Daveigh Chase, John Schwallier, has spoken out following his daughter's death from AIDS and chronic polysubstance use disorder, detailing his estranged relationship with his ex-wife, Cathy Chase, and a dispute over their daughter's cremated remains. Schwallier expressed a lack of surprise upon learning the cause of death, telling the Daily Mail that Daveigh had become so emaciated that he initially struggled to recognize her body. "I was beside myself at first when I finally saw her. I thought they were hustling me at first," he said.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Daveigh Chase's death was attributed to a combination of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and polysubstance use disorder. Schwallier described his daughter as weighing approximately 65 pounds and appearing even more frail than in a circulating video. "I touched her thigh above her knee, and it was just bone," he recounted.
Schwallier indicated a significant rift with his ex-wife, Cathy Chase, stating his belief that their daughter would not have ended up in such a state if she had been with him. He claimed to have been actively searching for his daughter for 13 years, alleging that Cathy Chase kept Daveigh from him during her childhood. "If Daveigh was with me, she would not have turned out like this," he asserted. He also mentioned that he may pursue legal action to gain control of a portion of his daughter's ashes, stating, "I will fight her for Daveigh’s remains in Probate Court." He clarified that his motivation is not financial but rather a desire to have his daughter's remains, asserting, "Daveigh was emancipated, so I don’t think she will get any money. I will fight her on that. It’s not about the money. This was my daughter, and I didn’t get to see my daughter for years because of her [mother]. I want her remains because she belongs with me."
Schwallier recounted receiving a call on June 16, the day of Chase's death, from a man identifying himself as her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez. He spoke to his daughter briefly via speakerphone as she was reportedly in the hospital. "I just told her I love her and that I’ve been looking for you. I told her, 'I have a place to take you if you make it out of the hospital,'" Schwallier recalled. He stated he made it to the hospital approximately two and a half hours later.
At the hospital, Schwallier met Hernandez and his family, who reportedly told him that Chase and Hernandez had been living on the streets in a tent or RV, occasionally visiting the Hernandez family home for basic necessities. Hernandez's mother and sister were present, crying. Schwallier recalled Hernandez saying, "I did the best I could, sir." However, Schwallier found this statement insufficient given his daughter's condition: "But if you saw my daughter, it didn’t look like the best to me."
Chase, who died at age 35, was known for her roles as a child actress, most notably voicing Lilo in Disney's animated film Lilo & Stitch and playing Samara Morgan in the 2002 horror film The Ring. Her acting career began in commercials at age three, and she later appeared in films like Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Donnie Darko. She also had a significant role in HBO's Big Love.
Cathy Chase, Daveigh's mother, previously told the Daily Mail about her extensive search for her daughter, whom she had not heard from in years. She described her devastation upon learning of Daveigh's death. "I was devastated. It felt like something inside of me squeezing all of the air out of me, and at the same time, it felt like I was exploding outwardly," she said. Cathy Chase identified her daughter's remains at the hospital on June 18, sharing a moment of prayer with a chaplain.
Cathy Chase believes her daughter's struggles with addiction began around 2016 after a motorcycle accident that resulted in a back injury and a prescription for strong painkillers. She stated that Daveigh subsequently began using harder drugs and engaged in a party lifestyle. "She was seeking drugs and was partying with the wrong people. I never kicked my daughter out. She wanted freedom and these people got her hooked on some drugs. That was the beginning," Cathy Chase said. From 2018 onwards, Daveigh was in and out of jail on drug-related charges, and Cathy Chase visited her in jail for the first time in 2019 after Daveigh was charged with burglary.
Cathy Chase recalled that Daveigh, who had been emancipated from her mother at 16, had struggled with homelessness and jail time. She expressed distress over public perception, stating, "It upsets me because people are saying I must’ve been a bad mother, but I never gave up on her." Cathy Chase last saw her daughter briefly in 2025 before losing contact. She and her younger son continued searching for Daveigh across Los Angeles, speaking with homeless individuals and following any leads.
Despite the challenges, Cathy Chase maintained that Daveigh had a strong faith. "My daughter always had strong faith, and I know during the last few years, it might’ve wavered because of the addiction. However, she had a deep foundation in Christ," she said. She also shared handwritten notes from Daveigh as a child expressing love and a belief in their enduring bond.