The Ring and Lilo & Stitch Star Daveigh Chase’s Cause of Death Revealed

Earlier this month, Daveigh Chase, star of The Ring (2002) and the voice of Lilo in the Disney animated classic Lilo & Stitch died at the age of 35. At the time of her passing, it was reported that Chase, who died on June 16th, had succumbed to “meningitis and an infection in her blood” and now, almost two weeks later, additional details about her passing have been released in a new report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office.

As reported by Variety, the medical examiner’s report lists the cause of death for Chase, who also went by the name Daveigh Schwallier, was Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Chronic polysubstance use was also listed as “other significant conditions.” The report also indicates that Chase died in the hospital and the manner of her death was listed as natural.

Chase’s career began in the late 1990s with various minor television roles, including appearances on several popular television series of the era including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, and ER. However, her first major Hollywood role came in 1998 when she voiced Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s animated Lilo & Stitch movie and continued lending her voice to the character in the television series spinoff, the direct-to-video Stitch! The Movie, and the television movie Leroy & Stitch.

In terms of live action roles, Chase appeared as Samantha Darko, the younger sister of Jake Gyllenhaal’s character in the cult classic sci-fi film Donnie Darko in 2001. She also appeared in 2002’s The Ring, terrifying audiences as Samara Morgan in the Gore Verbinski remake. She would go on to have a stead run with lead roles in franchise sequels, including The Ring Two and S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale, and Beethoven’s 5th. In terms of television, she had a major role as Rhonda Volmer, the child bride of fundamentalist prophet Roman Grant in the HBO hit Big Love. Her final acting role was as Krissy Madison in 2016’s American Romance.

Our thoughts go out to Daveigh Chase’s family and friends in this difficult time.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!