Former child actress and voice actress Daveigh Chase died earlier this month at the age of 35.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office has officially ruled the cause of death as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with chronic polysubstance use listed as a secondary cause.
Chase, who also went by the name Daveigh Schwallier, died while homeless in Los Angeles, despite having millions of dollars in unclaimed residuals.
The New York Post reported:
Chase was just 8 years old when she landed the voice of Lilo in Disney’s classic film and signed a deal that gave her a cut of merchandise sales, residuals, theme park attractions and other products using her voice — rather than a one-time payment, John Ryan said.
Ryan, who managed Chase for more than a decade, continued to receive SAG-AFTRA notices to his office reporting she had unclaimed residual checks. Ryan told The Post there was “millions” in unclaimed money.
Chase was “too far gone,” allegedly hooked on heroin and fentanyl, to collect the money despite Ryan’s attempts to get in touch with Chase over the years.
Ryan added it’s usually next of kin who can collect residuals after someone has died, which would put Chase’s father in a position to get the money.
Initial reports from her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, indicated she passed away following complications from bacterial meningitis and sepsis stemming from a severe blood infection.
The coroner’s official findings were released on Monday.
Chase rose to prominence as a child performer in the early 2000s. She voiced the lead character Lilo in Disney’s animated hit Lilo & Stitch, as well as in follow-ups including Stitch! The Movie, Lilo & Stitch: The Series on Disney Channel, and Leroy & Stitch.
She also played the terrifying Samara Morgan in The Ring and appeared in Donnie Darko and its sequel, S. Darko. She also played Rhonda Volmer on HBO’s Big Love.
In 2003, Sean “Diddy” Combs creepily invited her to his afterparty after presenting her with an MTV Movie Award when she was just 12 years old, a move that has raised eyebrows across social media.
Resurfaced video shows Sean “Diddy” Combs touching and kissing 12-year-old Daveigh Chase on the cheek before inviting her to a 2003 MTV afterparty.
Diddy is accused of r*ping children as young as 13 in new lawsuits.
Diddy was teamed up at the event with Ashton Kutcher as they… pic.twitter.com/tBlL9pqxyi
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 23, 2024
Chase largely stepped away from acting around 2016.
Her father, John David Schwallier, told The New York Times that she had been homeless and struggled with drugs since age 13. He stated he had not spoken with her in many years.
Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, wrote in a GoFundMe campaign launched around the time of her hospitalization, “After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown L.A. When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved. Together, we found moments of happiness and hope.”
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