What happened to Daveigh Chase? The girl from The Ring remembered
Daveigh Chase, the child actress who voiced Lilo in Lilo & Stitch and terrified audiences as Samara in The Ring, passed away on 16 June 2026, aged 35. Her death came after years of legal troubles, addiction, and homelessness on Los Angeles' Skid Row. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use, as the cause.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Daveigh Chase died on 16 June 2026, aged 35, from AIDS with chronic polysubstance use.
- She voiced Lilo in Lilo & Stitch (2002) and Chihiro in the English dub of Spirited Away (2001).
- She played Samara Morgan in The Ring (2002), winning the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.
- A 2016 motorcycle accident and subsequent opioid dependency brought her acting career to an end.
Profile summary
Full name | Daveigh Elizabeth Chase |
Date of birth | 24 July 1990 |
Place of birth | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
Date of death | 16 June 2026 |
Age at death | 35 |
Cause of death | AIDS; chronic polysubstance use |
Nationality | American |
Profession | Actress, voice actress |
Education | Not publicly verified |
Relationship status | Partner (Roy Hernandez; not married) |
Children | None verified |
Parents | Cathy Chase (mother), John Schwallier (father) |
Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Height | 5'7" (170 cm) |
How did Daveigh Chase die?
Daveigh Chase died on 16 June 2026 at a Los Angeles hospital. She was 35 years old. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed AIDS as the cause of death. Chronic polysubstance use was listed as a significant contributing condition. The manner of death was recorded as natural.
Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, initially said she had died from meningitis complications. A blood infection caused "septic issues" that led to organ failure, he said. The medical examiner's report later clarified the underlying cause was AIDS.
Her father confirmed she was homeless and living near the Los Angeles General Medical Center at the time of her death. Her mother believes the health crisis began after a 2016 motorcycle accident, when Chase was prescribed a strong prescription for pain.
Source: Original
Daveigh Chase's life on Skid Row
In late 2025, a video emerged showing the late American actress in a tent in Los Angeles' Skid Row neighbourhood, barely conscious. The footage shocked fans and reignited concern about her welfare.
Her former manager, John Ryan, and stepsister, Gaia Brown, had spent months searching for her. At one point, they hired a private investigator. Friends described her as a gifted singer who played music with them until around 2023.
A complete withdrawal from the entertainment industry, years of substance use, and an estrangement from her family had left her with no stable home. Chase was reportedly living in an RV near the Los Angeles General Medical Center in her final months.
What were Daveigh Chase's legal troubles?
Chase's first legal trouble came in February 2017. Police questioned her after a man was found outside a Los Angeles hospital and later died. She was not charged in that incident, but was arrested on outstanding warrants and released on $1,805 bail.
In November 2017, she was arrested as a passenger in a stolen BMW during a Hollywood traffic stop. She faced a felony charge and $25,000 bail.
Further arrests followed:
- 2018: Arrested for possessing a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Posted a $1,000 bond.
- 2019: Two further possession charges raised cumulative bail to $8,500. A September arrest on substance possession and outstanding warrants set bail at $60,000.
- 2022: Arrested for alleged controlled substance possession and burglary; bail set at $50,000.
- 2023: Arrested on outstanding warrants on 23 July. A hearing was scheduled for December; the outcome remains unclear.
Source: Getty Images
Did Daveigh Chase have a partner?
Chase was in a relationship with Roy Hernandez at the time of her death. The couple kept their relationship private.
Hernandez proposed to Chase in 2024, and she accepted. In February 2026, he had her name tattooed above his eye. He was with her during her final days and was the first to announce her death.
Hernandez subsequently set up a GoFundMe campaign. Chase's former manager issued a public warning urging caution around it. The couple were never married.
Read also
Nicole fought to save it — Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman's story from first date to divorce
Daveigh Chase's career highlights
Chase began performing as a child actress at the age of three. She grew up in Albany, Oregon, singing and dancing at local community events.
Her breakthrough came in 2001 with the role of Samantha Darko in the cult thriller Donnie Darko. That same year, she voiced Chihiro Ogino in the English dub of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away.
Source: Getty Images
In 2002, she landed two iconic roles:
- Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch - she won an Annie Award in 2003 for the performance.
- Samara Morgan in The Ring - she won the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.
From 2006 to 2011, she played Rhonda Volmer in the HBO drama Big Love. Her final acting credit was American Romance (2016). In a 2009 Interview Magazine feature, she said:
"I just want to make something that I love, and people will respect. I want to do things that will change someone’s life, not something they’ll forget about tomorrow.”
Why did Daveigh Chase stop acting?
Chase's acting career halted after 2016. She made no formal announcement of retirement. Her mother has said that a 2016 motorcycle accident was the turning point.
Prescribed a strong pain medication for the injury, Chase developed a dependency that escalated into years of substance use and homelessness. Her social media went dark by 2017. She never returned to the screen.
What is Daveigh Chase's net worth?
Her exact net worth at death has not been published by authoritative financial outlets. Meanwhile, Chase left a sizeable estate, with the Los Angeles probate filings putting the value of her personal property at approximately $400,000.
Other court documents cited by the NZ Herald estimated the figure closer to $690,000. She died without a will. Her mother petitioned a Los Angeles court to administer the estate. Her career income came from:
- Disney voice work: Lilo & Stitch and Spirited Away.
- Film: The Ring, Donnie Darko, S. Darko.
- Television: Big Love (HBO, 2006–2011).
Source: Getty Images
FAQ
- Why did Daveigh Chase pass away? She died on 16 June 2026 from AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use as a contributing condition. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner classified the manner of death as natural.
- How old was Daveigh Chase when she died? Chase was 35 at her death. She was born on 24 July 1990 and died weeks before her 36th birthday.
- What happened to Daveigh Chase after The Ring? The late Hollywood queen continued acting until 2016. A motorcycle accident that year led to opioid dependency, legal troubles, and eventual homelessness on Skid Row.
- Did Daveigh Chase have a husband? She was never married. Her boyfriend at the time of her death was Roy Hernandez. He proposed in 2024 and was with her during her final days.
- What was Daveigh Chase's role in Lilo & Stitch? She voiced Lilo Pelekai, the spirited Hawaiian girl who befriends an alien named Stitch. She won the Annie Award for the role in 2003.
- What other notable roles did Daveigh Chase have? She voiced Chihiro in the English dub of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away (2001), played Samantha Darko in Donnie Darko (2001), and starred as Rhonda Volmer in HBO's Big Love (2006–2011).
- When did Daveigh Chase quit acting? Her last acting credit was American Romance in 2016. She made no public announcement and never returned to acting.
Daveigh Chase’s career stalled after American Romance in 2016, and she faced multiple legal troubles in the years that followed. Public records show charges for substance possession, burglary, and outstanding warrants during this period, with her last known arrest occurring in July 2023.
Legit.ng recently published Ren Taylor Roberts’ biography. She is a talented American writer, teacher, podcast speaker, and artist with a heart for storytelling and connection.
The writer is widely known as the stepdaughter of Sarah Jakes Roberts. From an early age, she showed a natural love for music, reportedly beginning to sing and write songs at just six years old. Ren also leads worship in Sarah Jakes Roberts’ faith-based movements and shares her musical gifts.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
