Actress Debby Chase died at the age of 35 after suffering meningitis and severe blood infections, her partner Roy Hernandez said. TMZ reported that her condition worsened into organ failure. Before the fatal decline, Chase had been hospitalized in early June for malnutrition.
Hernandez wrote on a GoFundMe page set up while she was still receiving medical treatment that her condition deteriorated quickly and doctors told him she had very little time left. "Her condition became critical, and the doctors told me she may not have much time left to live," he wrote. He added, "All she wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy. I would like to give her a sense of home and peace in her final days."
Born in 1990, Chase began acting as a child and voiced characters in films including "The Polar Express" and "Lilo & Stitch," where she voiced Lilo. She also appeared in cult films, including "Donnie Darko," where she played the sister of the lead character in the 2001 film, and "The Ring," in which she portrayed the horror icon Samara Morgan.
For that role, she won an MTV award for Best Villain. Chase also had guest roles on television series including "Charmed," "The Practice," and ER. Her final screen appearance was in the 2016 thriller American Romance. After leaving Hollywood, Hernandez said, her life became difficult as she faced bullying, cut off contact with her family, and struggled to find stability.
