The cause of death of former child actress Daveigh Chase, best known for portraying Samara Morgan in the American remake of The Ring, has been officially confirmed.

According to The New York Times, the actress, who died on June 16 at the age of 35, passed away after suffering from sepsis and meningitis. Authorities have now confirmed that the primary underlying cause of her death was AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that Chase died from complications related to AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use listed as a contributing factor. Her death was first reported after she was hospitalized with sepsis and meningitis, but the official findings have now revealed the underlying illness that led to the fatal complications.

Born in 1990, Daveigh Chase rose to fame as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable child actors. At just 11 years old, she voiced Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s beloved 2002 animated film Lilo & Stitch, a role she reprised in Stitch! The Movie, Leroy & Stitch, and Lilo & Stitch: The Series. She also provided the English-language voice of Chihiro Ogino in Disney’s English dub of the acclaimed Japanese animated film Spirited Away.

However, Chase became especially memorable to horror fans after portraying Samara Morgan, the terrifying ghost girl in the 2002 American remake of The Ring, a performance that earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.

After appearing in the 2016 film Let It Die, Chase stepped away from acting. Reports indicate that she later became estranged from her family and had been experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles in the years leading up to her death.

Her passing has prompted many fans to reflect on her successful childhood career and the personal struggles she reportedly faced later in life.

Sources: Naver