Child Star Daveigh Chase: Death Certificate Reveals AIDS Battle and Substance Abuse

Daveigh Chase, the former child star who brought haunting presence to films like Donnie Darko, Lilo&Stitch, and The Ring, died on June 16 at age 35. Now, newly released documents paint a fuller—and more sobering—picture of her final days.

Her death certificate reveals that while acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was the immediate cause of death, chronic polysubstance use served as an underlying condition that contributed to her passing. The actress was cremated on July 11, with her remains now in the care of her mother, Cathy. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner confirmed the manner of death was natural, and that Chase passed away in a hospital.

Before her death became public, Roy Hernandez, who identified himself as her boyfriend, launched a GoFundMe campaign and revealed Chase had been battling meningitis and blood infections that progressed to sepsis—a life-threatening condition where the immune system turns on healthy tissue. He painted a picture of someone trying to survive on the streets of downtown L.A., struggling to find safety and stability after a difficult childhood. Her former manager, John Ryan, later expressed skepticism about Hernandez’s legitimacy, claiming neither her family nor close friends knew who he was. Hernandez fired back, insisting the fundraiser was real and intended to cover funeral expenses.

Chase’s estranged father, John Schwallier, who hadn’t seen her since she was six years old, told The California Post that her death didn’t surprise him, attributing it to the lifestyle she’d been living. Her mother’s response was strikingly different—raw, visceral, and heartbroken. Cathy described her grief as something squeezing the air from her while simultaneously exploding outward, recounting how she ran into her backyard screaming. She revealed that Chase had struggled with substance abuse following a 2016 motorcycle accident that injured her back. The last time Cathy saw her daughter was in 2019, and Chase was, in her words, completely out of her mind.

What emerges from these documents and accounts is a portrait of a talented young woman whose early promise as a child actress collided hard with personal trauma, physical injury, and the merciless pull of addiction. The gap between who Chase was on screen and who she became in her final years—homeless, battling AIDS, caught between those claiming to help her and family members unable or unwilling to reach her—speaks to a larger story about how the entertainment industry chews up young talent and spits them out, and how a system of support often fails those who need it most.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline is available at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).