Daveigh Chase, the former child actor best known for voicing Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch and portraying Samara Morgan in the 2002 horror film The Ring, has died at the age of 35.
Cause of Death
According to her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, Chase died on Tuesday from meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis, as reported by TMZ. Hernandez added that Chase had been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier this month due to malnutrition.
GoFundMe Campaign
In a GoFundMe page set up before her death, Hernandez described Chase as having always “been a light in my life,” but noted that she faced significant hardship. “Behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship. After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA,” he wrote. He added that he promised to protect her and give her the love she deserved, and they found moments of happiness together. Recently, she was diagnosed with meningitis and serious blood infections, and doctors indicated she might not have much time left. The campaign had raised $1,300 of its $5,500 goal as of Wednesday evening.
Career Highlights
Born on 24 July 1990 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Chase appeared in numerous film and television projects in the early 2000s. In addition to The Ring and Lilo & Stitch, she voiced Chihiro Ogino in the English dub of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. She also had roles in Donnie Darko and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
