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Jun 18, 20261
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Video Reveals Final Days of 'Lilo & Stitch' Actress Daveigh Chase on Skid Row Before Death
Video footage obtained by The Post reveals actress Daveigh Chase living in severe distress on Los Angeles's Skid Row in the months before her death from meningitis and sepsis on June 16 at age 35. Her manager John Ryan had been searching for her with a private investigator and stepsister Gaia Brown, and managed to speak with her by phone but was unable to reach her before she disappeared again. Questions have also emerged regarding a fraudulent GoFundMe campaign created in her name by someone claiming to be her boyfriend.
Quick Facts
Who
Daveigh Chase
What
Video footage revealed actress living on Skid Row
When
Late 2025 - video discovered
Where
Downtown Los Angeles
- Video footage revealed actress living on Skid Row
- Manager searched for Chase for months
- Chase died from meningitis and blood infection
- GoFundMe campaign created in her name
- Manager disputed legitimacy of GoFundMe and claimed boyfriend
Newly obtained video footage has exposed the dire circumstances faced by actress Daveigh Chase in the months before her death, showing her severely malnourished and barely conscious on Los Angeles's Skid Row. The exclusive footage, obtained by The Post, depicts the 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Donnie Darko' star in a weakened state on the floor of a tent or trailer in downtown Los Angeles. Chase's longtime manager, John Ryan, had been searching for her alongside her stepsister Gaia Brown with help from a private investigator for months before learning of the video in late 2025.
Ryan stated he managed to contact Chase by phone shortly after discovering the footage and arranged to rescue her for treatment, but she disappeared again before he could reach Skid Row. He and Brown had planned to help her recover in Los Angeles before transferring her to a rehabilitation facility in Costa Rica. "We were so close to finding her," Ryan told The Post. "Daveigh was the sweetest and brightest light in Hollywood. I can't believe this is real."
Chase died on June 16 at age 35 after being diagnosed with meningitis and a blood infection that caused sepsis and organ failure. She had been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier in the month due to severe malnutrition. According to Ryan, Chase struggled with heroin and fentanyl addiction and was unable to access millions of dollars in residual payments from her child acting career that had accumulated in a SAG trust account.
Shortly before her death, a GoFundMe campaign was created by someone claiming to be her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, seeking funds to help Chase "find comfort and peace" in her final days. However, Ryan disputed the legitimacy of both the campaign and the man behind it, stating that no one in Chase's circle of friends or family had heard of such a boyfriend. Ryan confirmed to The Post that Chase's trust account covered her expenses and that any remaining funds would go to her father as her next of kin. Chase was known for her voice acting work in Disney's 'Lilo & Stitch,' as well as roles in 'Spirited Away' and 'Donnie Darko.'
Topics
Why This Matters
This story highlights the hidden struggles of former child actors who face addiction and homelessness despite accumulated wealth in trust accounts they cannot access, while also raising concerns about fraud targeting vulnerable individuals. It underscores systemic failures in mental health and addiction support, as well as the exploitation that can occur even after death through fraudulent fundraising campaigns.