'Lilo & Stitch' actress Daveigh Chase's official cause of death released

LOS ANGELES - The official cause of death for former child star Daveigh Chase has been released by authorities, shedding new light on her passing at age 35 and countering initial statements provided by her family.

What we know:

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner's office announced Monday that Chase's primary cause of death was from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 

The medical examiner also listed chronic polysubstance use—defined by the Cleveland Clinic as the repeated, long-term consumption of two or more substances simultaneously or within a short period—as a significant condition contributing to her death. 

Her manner of death has been officially ruled as natural.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Daveigh Chase dies; actress was known ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ ‘The Ring’: Report

Following her death, a GoFundMe campaign was launched by her alleged boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, with whom she had been experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles near the hospital.

However, Chase's former manager, John Ryan Jr., has strongly disputed the necessity of the fundraiser. 

In a statement to Deadline, Ryan clarified: "Daveigh’s estate has plenty of means to pay for the cremation. John is next of kin and never signed any paperwork over to this so-called boyfriend."

Ryan further told TMZ, "That GoFundMe is not going toward ANY expenses for Daveigh. Mysfelf, her father, her uncle and all of us close friends who knew her for decades are encouraging people not to donate to this page."

The backstory:

Chase rose to fame at a young age, voicing the iconic lead character Lilo in Disney's 2002 animated film "Lilo & Stitch" alongside Tia Carrere and Chris Sanders, later recording more than 60 episodes for the subsequent television series. 

That same year, she terrified audiences as "Samara" in the horror classic "The Ring," winning the Best Villain trophy at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards over nominees like Mike Myers, Colin Farrell, Willem Dafoe, and Daniel Day-Lewis. 

Her earlier career also included voicing the lead role in the English dub of "Spirited Away" (2001) and appearing in "Donnie Darko" (2001).

What we don't know:

It's unclear exactly when Chase was diagnosed with AIDS or how long she had been suffering from the illness.

Additionally, while her former manager alleged that the GoFundMe campaign was started under Chase's name while she was already unresponsive, the current status of the fundraiser and whether GoFundMe has taken disciplinary action against the page remains unverified.

What they're saying:

Initial reports regarding Chase's health conditions came directly from her estranged father, John David Schwallier, who told The New York Times via text that his daughter "died of complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection," adding that she "was suffering from severe malnutrition." 

Schwallier also noted that his daughter had struggled with drugs since she was 13 years old.

Regarding the circumstances of her hospital admission and the subsequent crowdfunding controversy, former manager John Ryan Jr. expressed strong criticism toward Chase's alleged boyfriend.

"This man making these claims brought her into the hospital in terrible condition and didn’t let any of the family know until she passed so he can control the dialogue. Daveigh’s actual family is handling all arrangements. We have contacted GoFundMe to let them know this man started this page on his own under Daveigh's name when she was already unresponsive and urging people to report the page and not donate."

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