Daveigh Chase, 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'The Ring' Actress, Died of AIDS at 35, Medical Examiner Confirms

The Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office has released the official cause of death for actress Daveigh Chase, two weeks after she died at age 35. Chase's primary cause of death was acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, with chronic polysubstance use listed as a significant contributing condition. Her manner of death was ruled natural.

Official Findings Diverge From Family's Earlier Account

The medical examiner's determination follows a statement from Chase's father, John Schwallier, who previously told NBC News that his daughter died of complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection, and that she had been suffering from severe malnutrition. Chase died in a hospital, and her body was not brought into the coroner's office. Chronic polysubstance use is defined as the repeated, long-term consumption of two or more substances — including illicit drugs, prescription medications, or alcohol — simultaneously or within a short period.

Dispute Over Crowdfunding Campaign

TMZ first reported Chase's death through her alleged boyfriend, Roy Hernandez. Her former manager, John Ryan Jr., subsequently disputed a crowdfunding campaign that had been published before news of Chase's death began circulating. Ryan told Deadline that Chase's estate had sufficient means to cover cremation costs, and that Hernandez had started the GoFundMe page under Chase's name while she was already unresponsive, without informing her family until after she had died. Ryan said he, Chase's father, her uncle, and other close associates were urging people not to donate to the page and had contacted GoFundMe to flag the campaign. Schwallier, as next of kin, had not signed any paperwork over to Hernandez, Ryan said.

A Career Built on Iconic Roles

Chase first gained widespread recognition when she was cast to voice Lilo at eight years old in the Disney animated film, working alongside Tia Carrere and Chris Sanders. She went on to record more than 60 episodes of "Lilo & Stitch: The Series" and voiced the character across video games and multimedia projects. That same year, she took on the role of Samara in DreamWorks' horror film "The Ring," earning the best villain award at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards — defeating Mike Myers, Colin Farrell, Willem Dafoe, and Daniel Day-Lewis for the honor.