Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo, died with millions in unclaimed Disney money because drug addiction kept her from her mail.
It is hard to imagine having a fortune waiting for you while you starve on the street. Yet that is the tragic reality of how one childhood star spent her final days.
What Happened
Daveigh Chase was only eight years old when she became the voice of Lilo in Disney's "Lilo & Stitch." Her smart contract gave her a share of toy sales, theme park rides, and movie repeat fees.
But as Chase grew up, she struggled with severe drug use. Her manager, John Ryan, says she became hooked on heroin and fentanyl, making her too sick to claim her cash.
She was last seen in a late 2025 video, looking very thin in a skid row trailer. She died on June 17 in a Los Angeles hospital from a blood infection and meningitis.
What the money/evidence shows
- Daveigh Chase signed her Disney deal at eight years old.
- Her contract paid her for toy sales, theme park rides, and movie repeats.
- Her manager received union notices about millions of dollars in unpaid checks.
- She was found living on skid row in late 2025.
- She died of meningitis, a blood infection, and severe starvation.
The Bigger Question
How does a system let a young star fall so far when her own money could have saved her? The union knew she had millions waiting, and her family hired private eyes to find her.
Yet, the gap between Hollywood wealth and skid row reality proved too wide to cross.
The Other Side
A man named Roy Hernandez says he was Chase's boyfriend and set up an online fundraiser for her cremation. However, her manager says no one in her family or friend group has ever heard of him. Ryan points out that her union trust fund already covers all her end-of-life costs.
Based on the manager's proof of a union trust, the fundraiser looks highly suspicious.
What Happens Now
Now, Chase's father will likely have to step in to claim the millions left in her account.
For regular people, this story shows how quickly addiction can destroy a life, no matter how much money is waiting in the wings.
What We Still Don't Know
- Who is the man claiming to be her boyfriend and running the fundraiser?
- Exactly how many millions of dollars are left in her union account?
- Why could her union or bank not freeze the funds to pay for her medical care sooner?
Transparency notes
Published: Jun 18, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
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