Spencer Pratt, known for his reality television appearances and past mayoral candidacy in Los Angeles, has claimed that actress Daveigh Chase's death could have been prevented. Pratt stated on social media that the "Lilo & Stitch" star died because she was not forced into rehabilitation.
"This poor beautiful girl is dead because nobody was willing to drag her to rehab against her will," Pratt wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday. His comments were in response to a June 17 headline regarding Chase's physical state prior to her death.
Chase, who died on June 16 at age 35, was revealed to have succumbed to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner report. Chronic polysubstance use was also listed as a contributing factor, with the manner of death determined to be natural.
Reports indicated that Chase had been diagnosed with multiple severe blood infections that led to sepsis, as well as meningitis. She was reportedly admitted to a hospital in early June due to malnutrition.
Pratt, who has been critical of Los Angeles' homelessness crisis, has previously spoken about the need for more comprehensive support systems for individuals struggling with addiction. He argued in a recent interview that addiction treatment requires more than just available beds, emphasizing the need for real solutions and support.
Chase, who also voiced the character Chihiro in the Studio Ghibli film "Spirited Away" and played Joyce Reyes in the HBO series "Big Love," was a former child star. Her manager, John Ryan, stated that she was too far into her addiction to access significant residual earnings from her acting work. Ryan also expressed that neither he nor other friends or family members had heard of Roy Hernandez, who had launched a fundraiser for Chase prior to her death. Ryan confirmed that Chase had a trust account set up with SAG-AFTRA to cover end-of-life expenses.