# The Ring's Terrifying Samara Morgan Actress Died Homeless, Official Cause of Death Now Revealed

> Actress Daveigh Chase, known for The Ring and Disney's Lilo & Stitch, died on June 16 at the age of 35. A medical examiner's report has now revealed that AIDS was the primary cause of her death.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Hollywood · **Published:** 2026-07-02 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/hollywood/holivuda-ki-samara-morgan-ka-dardanaka-anta-beghara-hokara-gujare-the-akhiri-dina-aba-samane-ai-mauta-ki-asali-vajaha-4044 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Daveigh Chase, The Ring, Lilo and Stitch, AIDS death, Hollywood actress death, Samara Morgan, drug addiction

The actress who terrified audiences as the ghostly Samara Morgan in The Ring and charmed them as the voice of Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch is no more. Daveigh Chase died on June 16 at the age of just 35, and nearly 15 days after her passing, the official cause of her death has finally come to light, leaving fans stunned.

## Medical examiner's report reveals the real cause
According to the official report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Daveigh Chase's primary cause of death was AIDS. The report has classified her death as natural. It also states that chronic polysubstance use, meaning prolonged and excessive use of multiple drugs at once, played a significant role in the decline of her health. Even so, the death that occurred at a hospital has officially been recorded as natural.

## Manager had earlier cited meningitis and sepsis
Daveigh Chase passed away on June 16 at a hospital in Los Angeles. At the time, her manager, John Ryan Jr., had said the actress had developed meningitis, which led to sepsis, and that she died during treatment. That remained the only explanation available to the public until the medical examiner's official report surfaced weeks later.

## Father reveals she was homeless in her final days
In an emotional interview with the New York Times, Daveigh Chase's father, John David Schwalier, made some heartbreaking disclosures. He said his daughter was battling severe financial hardship in her final days. She had become completely homeless and was living with her boyfriend in Los Angeles. According to media reports, she had been struggling with drug addiction since she was just 13 years old.

## A career that began at age 4 and took off with The Ring
Daveigh Chase stepped into acting at the age of just 4. At only 7, she got her first big Hollywood break with the show Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Her role as the eerie ghost Samara Morgan, who crawls out of a television screen in the iconic 2002 horror film The Ring, turned her into an overnight star. That performance earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.

## The voice behind Lilo, and an Annie Award win
That same year, 2003, she voiced the lead character Lilo in Disney's blockbuster animated film Lilo & Stitch, a role that won her the prestigious Annie Award. She also lent her voice to the English-language version of the Oscar-winning Japanese animated film Spirited Away.

## Life spiralled after she stepped away from acting in 2015-16
After 2015-16, Daveigh Chase moved away from acting entirely. What followed was a life increasingly caught up in controversies, drug-related legal cases and court battles, one that ultimately ended in tragedy.

## What this means for you
- **For fans:** Followers of The Ring and Lilo & Stitch now have official confirmation of what led to Daveigh Chase's death, ending weeks of speculation.
- **For readers:** Her story is a reminder of how untreated addiction and financial hardship can combine to worsen health rapidly.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who was Daveigh Chase?
She was a Hollywood actress known for playing Samara Morgan in The Ring and voicing Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch, who died at the age of 35.

### 2. When did Daveigh Chase die?
She passed away on June 16 at a hospital in Los Angeles.

### 3. What was the official cause of her death?
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's report says AIDS was the primary cause of death, and it has been ruled natural.

### 4. Did drug use play a role in her death?
Yes, the report also cited chronic polysubstance use, meaning prolonged use of multiple drugs, as a significant contributing factor.

### 5. What had her manager said earlier?
Manager John Ryan Jr. had said she developed meningitis, which led to sepsis, and that she died during treatment.

### 6. What did her father reveal about her final days?
Her father, John David Schwalier, told the New York Times she was homeless and living with her boyfriend in Los Angeles while battling severe financial hardship.

### 7. At what age did she start struggling with drug addiction?
According to media reports, she had been struggling with drug addiction since she was just 13 years old.

### 8. What films and shows was she known for?
She was known for Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Ring, Lilo & Stitch, and the English-language version of Spirited Away.

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