Daveigh Chase, a former child actor best known for her voice work as Lilo in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” and her role in the 2002 horror film “The Ring,” passed away on June 16. She was 35. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported her cause of death as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, commonly known as AIDS, which was documented in online records under the name Schwallier. Additionally, “chronic polysubstance abuse” was noted as a significant condition.
Her father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to The New York Times that complications from bacterial meningitis and a blood infection also contributed to her death. At the time of her passing, Chase was living without a home in Los Angeles, along with her boyfriend. Schwallier revealed that his daughter had been struggling with drug addiction since she was 13 and was estranged from her parents, who had divorced.
In a statement to The Associated Press regarding the AIDS diagnosis, Schwallier remarked, “I know with her lifestyle that was probably the conclusion so I’m not surprised.” He described her death as tragic and expressed a wish for Chase to have received more support and help.
Daveigh Chase auditioned to voice Lilo at the age of 8. Her portrayal of the sinister, long-haired girl Samara in “The Ring” earned her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain. Chase’s voice talents were also featured as a lead in the animated film “Spirited Away” in 2001. Additionally, she had parts in the movie “Donnie Darko” and the TV show “Oliver Beene,” according to her IMDb profile.
Born in Las Vegas, Chase grew up in the small town of Albany, Oregon, where she began singing and dancing at the tender age of 3, as noted by IMDb.