The death of Daveigh Chase has left fans mourning a star whose voice and performances shaped part of a generation’s childhood. But as tributes poured in, one question surfaced again and again: what happened to her?
Chase, best known for voicing Lilo in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” died on June 16, 2026, Tuesday, according to TMZ. She was 35 years old.
The news came as a shock to many fans who remembered her from some of the most recognizable films and television projects of the early 2000s.
Yet the details that emerged afterward painted a far more complicated picture of her final months.
The Last Public Glimpse She Left Behind
One detail quickly caught the public’s attention after news of Chase’s death broke. The actress had not posted on social media for years.
Her final Instagram post was shared in November 2017. The black-and-white image showed Chase standing beside a large unicorn balloon. Her caption read, “Unicorns DO exist 😻.”
At the time, it appeared to be just another casual post. Nearly eight years later, it has become the last public update Chase shared with followers.
After that, she largely disappeared from public view, leaving fans with little insight into her life before her death.
What Netizens Said After the News Broke
As news of Chase’s death spread, fans reacted with shock, sadness, and questions about what had happened.
On Instagram, one user wrote, “Humans are so resilient until they’re not, it’s so unfair sometimes. 35 is too young.” Another commented, “Wow. So sorry to hear this. RIP.”
A different person asked, “Ohh No how’d this happen? she was so young and played great behind the voice of Lilo.🙏🙏🙏😢😢💔🫶🙌.”
On the same platform, one user called the news “shocking,” while another simply wrote, “How sad.” Someone else added, “May Daveigh Chase Rest in Peace 🙏😭😮.”
The comments showed how deeply the news affected fans. More details about Chase’s condition would later emerge.
The Fundraiser That Raised New Questions
Before her death was publicly announced, Chase’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, shared a troubling update about her condition.
Hernandez launched a GoFundMe campaign and described a situation that he said had become increasingly urgent behind the scenes.
In the fundraiser, he wrote that Chase had faced significant personal hardships over the years and said he wanted to provide the comfort and stability she had long been searching for.
He also reflected on their relationship, writing that he had promised to protect her and help her find a sense of safety and happiness.
The campaign included a message that revealed how worried he had become about her future:
“Her condition has become critical, and the doctors have told me she may not have much time left. All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy. Now, more than ever, I want to give her that sense of home and peace in her final days.”
The fundraiser provided one of the first public indications that Chase was facing a serious health crisis. While Hernandez described the situation as critical, he did not publicly share the full details of her illness.
The Details Her Boyfriend Shared About Her Final Days
TMZ later reported additional information from Hernandez about what happened in Chase’s final days.
According to the news outlet, Chase had been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier this month because of malnutrition. Hernandez told TMZ that she later developed meningitis and an infection in her blood.
He said the infection led to septic complications that ultimately caused her body to shut down. The account provided the clearest explanation yet of the circumstances surrounding the actress’s death.
Others Say They Were Trying to Reach Her
After Chase’s death, her longtime manager, John Ryan, spoke publicly about efforts he said were made to help her before her condition worsened.
Ryan said he and Chase’s stepsister, Gaia Brown, spent months trying to locate the actress.
Ryan said those efforts intensified after he saw a video in late 2025 that allegedly showed Chase in poor condition on Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
According to Ryan, the plan was to nurse Chase back to health in Los Angeles before sending her to a rehabilitation facility in Costa Rica owned by a friend. “We were so close to finding her,” Ryan said.
He also criticized Hernandez’s decision to launch the GoFundMe campaign, telling the Post that he believed the fundraiser was unnecessary.
“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 families behalf’ that he set her up as the organizer. I can confirm Daveigh has a trust account set up at SAG to cover all costs,” Ryan told the publication.
Ryan’s remarks revealed a dispute over the fundraiser and whether financial assistance was needed.
The Asset Her Manager Said Went Unclaimed
Another surprising detail surfaced after Chase’s death. Speaking to the same publication, Ryan said the former child star may have left behind millions of dollars tied to her early work in Hollywood.
Ryan said Chase’s contract for Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” included ongoing payments connected to merchandise sales, theme park attractions, and other products that used her voice, rather than a one-time fee.
He told the outlet that SAG-AFTRA notices regarding unpaid residual checks continued to arrive for years, and estimated the amount could total millions of dollars.
Ryan also alleged that Chase never collected the money despite repeated efforts to reconnect with her. The claim has raised questions about what could happen to those funds now.
According to Ryan, the residual payments are typically transferred to a person’s next of kin after death. If that process applies here, Chase’s father could potentially be eligible to receive the money.
The Career Fans Remembered
Chase had built a career that made her a familiar face and voice to millions. In addition to her breakout role in “Lilo & Stitch,” she voiced Chihiro Ogino in the English-language version of “Spirited Away.”
She also earned recognition for her performance as Samara Morgan in “The Ring,” a role that won her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.
Beginning in 2006, she appeared as Rhonda Volmer in HBO’s “Big Love,” appearing in 32 episodes during the show’s run. Her other credits included “Donnie Darko,” “Beethoven’s 5th,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “ER,” and “Mercy.”
The details shared after Chase’s death provided new information about her condition and the events leading up to her final days. They also offered a clearer understanding of a period of her life that had largely remained out of public view.