Daveigh Chase's Mother Speaks Out Following the Actress's Passing

Daveigh Chase's mother has broken her silence in the wake of her daughter's death this week.

The actress, who gained recognition as a child star in The Ring, passed away at 35 following a battle with meningitis that developed into septic complications. Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, launched a GoFundMe campaign following the news.

In an interview with The Daily Mail on Friday, June 19, Cathy Chase described the moment she learned of her daughter's passing. "I was devastated. It felt like something inside of me squeezing all of the air out of me, and at the same time, It felt like I was exploding outwardly," she said. "I let out this guttural scream and I just was running, and these weird sounds were coming out of me, like, primeval sounds. I went out into the backyard, and I was screaming, 'No, no, no, no!' I am in so much pain but I hope her soul heard me."

Cathy revealed that she discovered her daughter's death through media reports rather than through direct notification. The last time she had seen Daveigh in person was October 2019. Over the years of their separation, she actively searched for information about her daughter's whereabouts and condition.

"I would just put her name in the coroner's [search system] and see if her name came up and if somebody had her somewhere," Cathy recalled. "I would look at their list of unidentified bodies. It was very difficult, but you do everything you can as a mother."

According to Cathy, Daveigh's troubles began after sustaining a back injury in a 2016 motorcycle accident. "She was seeking drugs and was partying with the wrong people," Cathy claimed. "I never kicked my daughter out. She wanted freedom and these people got her hooked on some drugs. That was the beginning."

She described witnessing a dramatic change in her daughter's behavior and mental state. "She was completely gone, like, out of her mind. I honestly thought there was something wrong with her. My daughter was never diagnosed with mental health other than PTSD, but the drugs took hold of her."

Cathy shared a moment of spiritual connection during what appears to have been a hospital visit. "The hospital chaplain and I were able to lay hands and pray," she explained. "Technically, we were touching the glass, but it's as close as we could get, so we were able to lay hands and pray for her. It was a beautiful experience, and I feel very blessed to have been able to share that with my daughter."

Chase's career included memorable roles as Samara Morgan in The Ring, voice work as Lilo in Lilo & Stitch, and as Chihiro in the English-language version of Spirited Away.