Former Child Actress Daveigh Chase Died from AIDS-Related Complications, Coroner Says

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has officially ruled that former child actor Daveigh Chase, best known for voicing Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and portraying Samara in The Ring, died from complications related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). She was 35 years old.

According to medical examiner records released this week, Chase died on June 16 at a Los Angeles hospital. The coroner listed AIDS as the official cause of death, while chronic polysubstance abuse was identified as another significant contributing condition. Her death was ruled natural.

The findings clarify earlier reports about the actress’s death. Shortly after she passed away, her father, John David Schwallier, told media outlets that she had died from complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection. Medical experts note that such infections can occur in people whose immune systems have been severely weakened by advanced HIV/AIDS.

In comments following the release of the medical examiner’s report, Schwallier said he was saddened but not surprised by the official findings. He revealed that his daughter had struggled with drug addiction from the age of 13 and had been estranged from her divorced parents for many years. He also said she had been living in Los Angeles and experiencing homelessness before her death.

Chase rose to fame as a child performer after landing the voice role of Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, a performance that earned widespread praise and made her one of the most recognizable child voices in animation. She also frightened audiences worldwide with her portrayal of Samara Morgan in the horror hit The Ring, for which she won an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.

Beyond those iconic performances, Chase voiced a lead character in the English-language version of Spirited Away and appeared in films including Donnie Darko and the television series Oliver Beene. Born in Las Vegas and raised in Albany, she began singing, dancing and acting at an early age before achieving success in Hollywood.

Friends and former colleagues have expressed sadness over the circumstances surrounding her final years, describing a talented actress whose promising career was overshadowed by addiction, homelessness and personal struggles. The official cause of death has renewed discussions about mental health, substance abuse and the challenges many former child stars face after leaving the entertainment industry.

Daveigh Chase leaves behind a legacy defined by several memorable performances that shaped early-2000s cinema and animation. Her death has prompted tributes from fans around the world, who continue to remember her contributions to film and television despite the difficult circumstances that marked her later life.