Child Star Daveigh Chase’s Friends Sought Her on LA’s Skid Row

In the months leading up to her passing, friends and management of Daveigh Chase, known for her roles in The Ring and Lilo & Stitch, actively searched for her among the homeless population of Los Angeles. Chase died on Tuesday at the age of 35.

Her manager, John Ryan, and stepsister, Gaia Brown, had been trying to locate Chase for years after she had seemingly disappeared from public life. Their efforts eventually led them to the Skid Row area of Downtown Los Angeles, Ryan shared in a recent statement.

A Desperate Search for Help

Ryan, who managed Chase for over a decade, revealed that he and Brown hired a private investigator in 2025. Their primary goal was to find the actress and provide her with much-needed assistance. Reports indicate that Chase’s death followed a hospitalization for malnutrition.

A boyfriend confirmed Chase’s death, citing a severe health battle that included meningitis, a blood infection, and sepsis. According to Ryan, information obtained from the private investigator suggested Chase was living on Skid Row amidst the city’s homeless community. A social media video, which has since been deleted, allegedly showed a drastically thin Chase in what appeared to be a tent or trailer, struggling to stay awake.

Sources close to Chase indicated that her friends believed she weighed as little as 75 pounds during this period. Ryan managed to make phone contact with Chase and traveled to Skid Row with the intention of helping her recover. Plans were in place to admit her to a rehabilitation facility in Costa Rica once she was well enough to travel.

However, these efforts were thwarted as Chase had reportedly “disappeared” by the time Ryan arrived on Skid Row. “We were so close to finding her,” he stated.

Efforts Continue Amidst Concern

Friends reportedly continued their search for Chase on Skid Row for weeks without success. Ryan described seeing a video of a very thin and largely unresponsive Chase on the floor of a tent or trailer.

Ryan expressed his devastation at the news of her death. “Daveigh was the sweetest and brightest light in Hollywood,” he said. “I can’t believe this is real. Her legacy and work will live on forever.” He also mentioned working on a documentary titled Finding Lilo, which chronicles their efforts to find her, and noted that several major studios have expressed interest.

Health Crisis and Legal Troubles

Chase was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital in early June, where her condition worsened. She was pronounced dead on Tuesday. Roy Hernandez, identifying himself as Chase’s partner, stated he had been seeking funds for her care through GoFundMe campaigns in the weeks prior to her death.

Ryan voiced suspicions regarding Hernandez and his connection to Chase. “Apparently, a man claiming to be her ‘boyfriend’ that none of us friends or her family has heard of has set up a GoFundMe on ‘her and her family’s behalf’ that he set her up as the organizer,” Ryan commented. “I can confirm Daveigh has a trust account set up at SAG to cover all costs.” As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe had raised approximately $2,500 of its $5,500 goal.

Chase, who found fame in 2002 for her role as Samara Morgan in The Ring, had largely withdrawn from public view after 2013, ceasing social media activity entirely in 2017. During the intervening years, she faced multiple arrests for charges including joyriding in stolen vehicles and drug possession.

Hernandez described a strained relationship with Chase’s family and her struggles to find stability. He also mentioned a period where they were both homeless. In one fundraising appeal, he wrote, “Daveigh Chase, my girlfriend, has always been a light in my life… But behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship.” He further detailed her diagnosis of meningitis and serious blood infections, describing her condition as critical.

In a concerning incident in 2017, Chase was questioned after reportedly leaving an unconscious man outside a hospital, who later died of a drug overdose. Hernandez stated that he and Chase were homeless in the years leading up to her death, and he had promised to protect and provide her with love and comfort.

Chase’s career included a beloved voice role as Lilo in the animated film Lilo & Stitch and its subsequent television series, as well as voicing Chihiro Ogino in Spirited Away. She also appeared in Big Love, Donnie Darko, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, among other productions.