Overview
- The Los Angeles County Office of the Medical Examiner released a forensic report in late June that attributes Chase’s death to complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and classifies the death as natural.
- The report also cites chronic or multiple-substance use as a significant contributing condition that weakened her health before she was hospitalized.
- Earlier public statements by Chase’s partner described meningitis and sepsis and prompted a GoFundMe for her care; those accounts are contradicted by the medical examiner’s findings.
- Chase rose to fame as a child actor and voice artist, notably as Lilo in Lilo & Stitch and Samara in The Ring, and later faced years of addiction, legal troubles, family estrangement and periods of homelessness.
- Resurfaced archival footage of Chase as a child with Sean 'Diddy' Combs and the conflicting public narrative have renewed debate about the vulnerability of former child stars, the stigma of HIV/AIDS and transparency around fundraising for public figures.