Former child actress Daveigh Chase, voice of Lilo, dies at 35

Daveigh Chase, who provided the voice of Lilo in Disney's 2002 animated film and portrayed Samara in the horror movie The Ring, died at 35, her father confirmed. He told The New York Times that her death resulted from bacterial meningitis and a subsequent blood infection. At the time of her illness, Chase was living in Los Angeles with her boyfriend near the hospital where she was treated.

Chase began her acting career as a child, auditioning for the role of Lilo at age eight and later appearing in films such as Donnie Darko and the animated feature Spirited Away. She earned an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for her performance in The Ring. Born in Las Vegas and raised in Albany, Oregon, she started singing and dancing at three years old.

Her father said she had struggled with substance abuse since early adolescence and was estranged from her parents following their divorce. He said he remained in contact with her boyfriend, who organized an online fundraiser that had raised about $4,000 by Thursday. The fundraiser noted that many remembered her for her childhood roles while acknowledging the personal challenges she faced.