The Ring star Daveigh Chase cause of death revealed after actress died aged 35

The Ring star Daveigh Chase’s cause of death has been revealed, two weeks after she died aged just 35. 

Chase died in hospital from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) – the most advanced stage of HIV infection on June 16, 2026 –  per the The L.A. County Medical Examiner.

Chronic polysubstance use – the repeated use of more than one drug over time – was also listed as a significant condition contributing to her death.

Her manner of death is listed as natural. 

The actress’s boyfriend confirmed her shocking death earlier this month, revealing a painful health battle that involved meningitis, a blood infection and sepsis.

Chase was admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles in early June.

Her partner, Roy Hernandez, had been pleading for help to fund her care via multiple GoFundMe campaigns in the weeks before her death.  

Chase found fame as a child star in 2002 with her haunting portrayal of Samara Morgan in The Ring.

She later appeared in a number of film and television projects including Lilo & Stitch, Donnie Darko, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, ER, and Big Love.

She gradually stepped back from the public eye after 2013, with her final social media activity in 2017 and her last red carpet appearance at a Vogue dinner in April 2013.

Over the following years, she had several reported run-ins with the law, including an arrest in 2017 in Los Angeles in connection with joyriding in a stolen vehicle.

Her partner describes a bitter feud with her family, and a desperate fight for them to get off the streets. 

In a tragic premonition of her own death, she was questioned in 2017 after dropping an unconscious man off outside of a hospital and driving away. He later died of a drug overdose. 

Hernandez, Chase’s partner, said the pair were homeless in the years before her death.

In one of his fundraisers, her partner pleaded: ‘Daveigh Chase, my girlfriend, has always been a light in my life… But behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship.’

‘After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA. When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved. 

‘Together, we found moments of happiness and hope.’

He continued: ‘Recently, everything changed. Daveigh was diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections. 

‘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.

‘I understand we all go through things, but if you can help, I will be really grateful for anything.’

Prior to her death at 35, Chase had reportedly been out of contact for an extended period, prompting concern from her manager John Ryan and her stepsister Gaia Brown, who had been attempting to locate her for several years.

Speaking to the California Post, Ryan said their search eventually led them to the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles, where he believed Chase may have been staying. 

He added that he had previously managed to speak with her by phone and arranged to meet her in person.

Ryan said the initial plan had been to support Chase in regaining her health, with arrangements being explored for possible rehabilitation support in Costa Rica once she was well enough to travel.

However, he said the situation changed by the time they arrived, claiming she could not be located.

‘We were so close to finding her,’ he said. ‘Daveigh was the sweetest and brightest light in Hollywood. I can’t believe this is real. Her legacy and work will live on forever.’