Daveigh Chase's mother reveals what led to 'Lilo & Stitch' star's death

Daveigh Chase, the actress best known for voicing Lilo in Disney's 'Lilo & Stitch,' has died at age 35. Her boyfriend told TMZ she died on June 16 from meningitis and a blood infection. She had also been in a Los Angeles hospital earlier that month because of malnutrition, a condition where the body does not get enough nutrients to stay healthy. Her father confirmed the cause of death and said she had been homeless and living in Los Angeles near the hospital where she died.

Chase's mother, Cathy Chase, spoke to the Daily Mail about what led to her daughter's death. She explained that Daveigh's struggles began after a motorcycle accident in 2016. Doctors gave her strong painkillers for her injured back, and over time she became dependent on them. This started a long period of drug abuse and an unhealthy lifestyle that Cathy said changed her daughter completely.

Cathy said her daughter began spending time with people who encouraged her drug use. 'She was seeking drugs and was partying with the wrong people,' Cathy told the Daily Mail. 'I never kicked my daughter out. She wanted freedom and these people got her hooked on some drugs.' Cathy said she last saw her daughter in October 2019, and the two never got a chance to reunite.

One moment has stayed with Cathy ever since. She went to pick Daveigh up from jail at an agreed time, but when she arrived, her daughter had already gone. Daveigh returned to the streets, and Cathy could not find her. 'I will live forever feeling I failed her because they told me the wrong time when she was released [from jail] all those years ago,' she said. Even a hospital chaplain's reassurance could not take away her sense of guilt.

Cathy also searched for Daveigh in Skid Row, a neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles known for its large unhoused population, but had no luck. When reports of Daveigh's death surfaced, Cathy did not believe them at first. She eventually went to the hospital to identify her daughter's body and prayed over her. 'It felt like something inside of me squeezing all of the air out of me,' she said.

Daveigh Chase started acting at a young age and quickly found success. At just 10 years old, she played Jake Gyllenhaal's younger sister in the 2001 film 'Donnie Darko.' She became especially well known as a voice actress, voicing Chihiro in the English version of Japan's beloved animated film 'Spirited Away.' Her most famous role was voicing Lilo in Disney's 'Lilo & Stitch' in 2002, a character that brought joy to millions of children around the world.