The Ring star Daveigh Chase, 35, cause of death confirmed to be AIDS
Daveigh Chase's cause of death has been revealed two weeks on from her untimely death aged 35.
Chase was best known for starring in the likes of The Ring, Donnie Darko, Spirited Away, and the Disney classic, Lilo & Stitch.
She died on June 16 after reportedly being diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections, according to a man who identified himself as the late actress' boyfriend.
However, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has since announced that Chase's cause of death was actually acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with chronic polysubstance use listed as a significant condition, as per Us Weekly.
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The latter condition refers to using more than one substance in a way that negatively affects your health and quality of life.
According to the outlet, Chase died in hospital and her death has been listed as natural.
It is unclear how long the former child star had AIDS for.
A person may develop AIDS if they have HIV that goes untreated. Not all cases of HIV lead to an AIDS diagnosis, however.
Mayo Clinic states that signs of HIV and AIDS include:
- Fever
- Swollen lymph glands, also called nodes, mainly on the neck
- Sore throat
- Rash
- Muscle aches
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
It goes on to say: "HIV spreads through contact with some body fluids. The virus can spread during sex, when people share needles or syringes, or during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
"HIV is treatable and preventable. Medicine can control HIV levels in the blood. This keeps the infection from getting worse, so some people never get AIDS."
The man who claimed to be Chase's boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, set up a GoFundMe page the day before Chase's passing.
He described her as being 'a light in my life', but Chase's former manager later questioned the validity of the fundraiser.
John Ryan told TMZ: "A man claiming to be Daveigh’s boyfriend has launched a GoFundMe page purportedly on behalf of Daveigh and her family.
"Neither her family nor her close friends know who this person is.”
He added: "I can confirm Daveigh has a SAG trust account with more than enough funds to cover all medical and related expenses."
Daveigh Chase: A timeline of her Hollywood career, personal struggles and alleged disappearance
1998
Daveigh Chase becomes an actor by accident. Her mother Cathy crashes her car while on a trip to Los Angeles from their home in Albany, Oregon.
Doctors tell Cathy she can’t drive for six months, and Daveigh is encouraged to pursue her dreams of acting while the family are stuck in LA.
Aged eight, Chase starts to appear in small parts in shows such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Charmed
2001
Chase lands her breakthrough role in cult film Donnie Darko, playing Jake Gyllenhaal’s onscreen sister Samantha Darko. The character later gets her own spinoff film in 2009 titled S. Darko.
In the same year, she voices lead character Chihiro Ogino in the American dub of Studio Ghibli classic Spirited Away.
2002
Chase stars as Samara in the US remake of The Ring aged just 11, and in the same year voices Lilo in Lilo & Stitch.
Mid-2000s
Chase meets John Ryan Jr., who would later go on to manage her.
Ryan says he saw her as a ‘little sister’. After her death, he says Chase liked to drink, but wasn’t into heavy drugs. He checked her into ‘a couple rehabs back in the day’.
2009
Chase says in an Interview Magazine profile: “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.”
2015
According to Ryan, Chase fails to show up to a meeting with Rob Reiner about a role and effectively disappears from public life.
Ryan says she was ‘sober a while’ before she went missing.
2016
Chase injures her back following a motorbike accident and is prescribed oxycodone. Her mother Cathy believes this is how she became addicted to drugs.
February 2017
Chase is arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court for a traffic violation. She is also questioned regarding an unidentified man’s death from an overdose after allegedly leaving him outside the hospital and leaving the scene. Chase was not accused of playing any role in his death.
November 2017
Chase is arrested again after being found in the passenger seat of a car believed to be stolen.
2018
Chase is charged with possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.
2025
Cathy loses contact with her daughter. Later in the year, Ryan becomes aware of a video which allegedly shows Chase on Skid Row.
He manages to get her on the phone, but by the time he gets to Skid Row she’s no longer there.
June 15 2026
A man named Roy Hernandez, who says he is Chase’s boyfriend, launches a GoFundMe for her. He writes: “Daveigh was diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections. Her condition has become critical, and the doctors have told me she may not have much time left.”
Ryan later says Chase’s family did not know about Hernandez, and encourages people not to donate to the fundraiser.
June 16 2026
Chase dies at a Los Angeles hospital.
Niamh Shackleton