Daveigh Chase, the former child actress who touched millions as the voice of Disney's Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch and terrified cinemagoers as the vengeful spirit Samara Morgan in The Ring, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 35.
The American actress passed away on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, following severe medical complications, marking a tragic end to a life that once burned so brightly in the Hollywood spotlight.
Her death closes the chapter on a versatile performer whose early career defined a generation of early 2000s cinema, leaving fans and contemporaries to mourn a unique talent lost far too soon. Here are ten photos remembering the life of the former child star.
Daveigh Chase Dies at 35
The news of her passing was broken by her partner, Roy Hernandez, who confirmed the details of the tragedy. Chase succumbed to complications arising from meningitis and a blood infection, which ultimately caused septic shock and fatal sepsis.
Hernandez, who had launched a GoFundMe page to assist with her care during her final days, described the late actress as a light in his life, stating, 'All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy.'
According to a report by TMZ, the actress had been facing critical health challenges in the weeks leading up to her death, having been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier this month to receive urgent treatment for severe malnutrition.
Former Child Star's Life Before Death
Born in Las Vegas on 24 July 1990, Daveigh Chase began acting at a young age and quickly rose to become one of Hollywood's most recognisable child stars.
However, after her final screen credit in the 2016 film American Romance, Chase largely disappeared from public life. Her withdrawal from the entertainment industry was accompanied by a series of personal struggles, including reported family estrangement and financial hardship.
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According to the New York Post, at the end of 2025, footage emerged allegedly showing Chase, extremely malnourished and living in Los Angeles' Skid Row, one of the city's most impoverished districts.
Concerned for her well-being, her longtime manager, John Ryan, and her stepsister, Gaia Brown, spent months trying to locate her and even hired a private investigator to find her.
'We were so close to finding her,' Ryan said. 'Daveigh was the sweetest and brightest light in Hollywood. I can't believe this is real. Her legacy and work will live on forever.'
Ryan also claimed that neither he nor Chase's family knew the boyfriend who later launched an online fundraiser following her hospitalisation.
Daveigh Chase's Filmography
Chase achieved a rare double breakthrough in 2002 that cemented her place in Hollywood and pop culture. At just 11, she voiced Lilo Pelekai in Disney's Lilo & Stitch, where she earned an Annie Award for her performance as the spirited Hawaiian girl.
That same year, she delivered a starkly different turn as Samara Morgan in The Ring, creating one of modern horror's most memorable villains and winning Best Villain at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards.
Her versatility was further showcased when she voiced Chihiro Ogino in the English-language version of Spirited Away. Chase also appeared as Samantha Darko in the cult classic Donnie Darko and its sequel.
She also starred in the hit HBO drama series Big Love as Rhonda Volmer, and appeared in ER, Charmed, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
More than two decades later, Chase is still remembered for bringing life to different characters.
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