Earlier this week, the sad news emerged that actress Daveigh Chase has passed away at the age of 35. Chase became known worldwide as the voice of Lilo in the Disney hit Lilo & Stitch (2002) and also played the role of Samara Morgan in the horror film The Ring (2002). Now her former manager is revealing striking details about the last years of her life. According to him, the actress was missing for years and virtually no one around her knew where she was staying.
Kidnapped?
In a recent interview, former manager John Ryan Jr. that he last saw Chase in November 2015. Not long after, the actress completely disappeared from the sight of friends, colleagues and other film industry contacts. Ryan says he became concerned when Chase didn’t show up for an appointment with filmmaker Rob Reiner. From that moment on, virtually no one in her immediate environment heard anything from the actress. Ryan says that at first he even feared that there was a kidnapping or some other emergency. Ultimately, private investigators were called in to track Chase down.
Skid Row
Although Chase occasionally appeared in news reports, including after an arrest in 2017, she largely remained out of the picture. It wasn’t until about five years ago, according to Ryan, that worrying reports about her situation started coming in. For example, a few months ago he allegedly received a video showing the former actress in Skid Row, a neighborhood in Los Angeles known for its large homeless population. Ryan immediately went to investigate, but by the time he arrived Chase was gone.
Ultimately, reality turned out to be at least as sad as the suspicions. Chase’s father confirmed that his daughter had struggled with addiction problems for years and was living in difficult circumstances in Los Angeles shortly before her death.
Daveigh’s mother speaks
Daveigh’s mother Cathy Chase has also responded to her daughter’s death. She said she initially thought it was fake news, until more and more reliable media confirmed the report. According to Cathy, the actress struggled with addiction and homelessness for years, but never gave up hope for a reunion. The family has now been able to say goodbye.
