Daveigh Chase, Lilo & Stitch and The Ring Star, Dies at 35

Daveigh Chase, the actor who voiced Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and played the ghostly Samara Morgan in The Ring, died Tuesday at age 35.

Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, confirmed the death to TMZ. He said Chase died from complications of meningitis and multiple serious blood infections. An infection in her bloodstream caused septic issues and led to her body shutting down, Hernandez told the outlet.

Earlier in the week, Hernandez had started a GoFundMe campaign. He wrote on the page that doctors told him she might not have much time left after her diagnosis.

Chase broke through in 2002 with two landmark roles. She voiced the spirited Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, a performance that helped make the film a lasting favorite. That same year she played Samara Morgan in the American remake of the Japanese horror film Ring. Her chilling turn won the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Chase was one of Hollywood’s most recognizable child actors of the early 2000s. Fans began posting tributes online after news of her death spread.