Actor Daveigh Chase, known for Lilo & Stitch and The Ring, dies at 35 after complications from meningitis and sepsis

Daveigh Chase, the former child actor best known for voicing Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and portraying Samara Morgan in the horror film The Ring, has died at the age of 35. According to reports citing her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, Chase passed away on Tuesday after suffering from meningitis and a serious blood infection that developed into sepsis. Hernandez also stated that she had been hospitalized in Los Angeles earlier in the month due to malnutrition.

Before her death, Hernandez created a GoFundMe campaign to help support Chase during her illness. In the fundraising appeal, he described her as an important presence in his life and revealed that she had endured significant personal hardships, including a difficult childhood, estrangement from family members, bullying, and struggles with safety and stability while living in downtown Los Angeles. He explained that her health deteriorated rapidly after being diagnosed with meningitis and multiple blood infections, leaving doctors concerned about her chances of recovery.

As of Wednesday evening, the fundraising campaign had collected approximately $1,300 toward a goal of $5,500. Born on July 24, 1990, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Chase achieved recognition at a young age through several notable film and television roles. In addition to Lilo & Stitch and The Ring, she provided the English-language voice of Chihiro Ogino in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away and appeared in productions such as Donnie Darko and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Her career left a lasting impact on audiences who grew up with her performances in film, animation, and television.