Daveigh Chase‘s mother is sharing the painful reality of loving a child lost to addiction.

Cathy Chase has spoken candidly about the years of fear that preceded her daughter’s passing. Her words offer a window into a struggle many families silently endure.

Daveigh Chase, beloved for her roles in “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring,” died this week at age 35. Her mother’s grief, now public, reflects a heartbreak years in the making.

Daveigh Chase’s Mom Recalls Incident That Triggered Her Downward Spiral

Cathy Chase revealed that she had quietly braced herself for her daughter’s death for years. “I was devastated. It felt like something inside of me was squeezing all of the air out of me,” she said.

She described running into her backyard upon hearing the news, screaming in disbelief. “I am in so much pain, but I hope her soul heard me,” she said. Cathy added that the moment felt both crushing and strangely freeing, as a fear she had carried silently for years was finally confirmed.

Cathy told The Daily Mail that her daughter’s addiction began after a 2016 motorcycle accident left her dependent on painkillers. The injury, she said, marked the beginning of a years-long decline. What started as treatment for physical pain slowly spiraled into something far more consuming.

She recalled noticing the earliest signs of change not long after the accident, describing a gradual shift in her daughter’s behavior and the company she kept. Looking back, Cathy said it became clear that those early warning signs were the start of a much longer struggle.

The Devastating Last Time Cathy Chase Saw Her Daughter

Cathy’s final in-person visit with her daughter came in October 2019, when she went to see her in jail following two burglary charges. What she found left her shaken.

“She was completely gone, like, out of her mind. I honestly thought there was something wrong with her,” Cathy recalled. She said her daughter had never been diagnosed with any mental health condition aside from PTSD.

“But the drugs took hold of her,” she added. The two had not spoken since that visit, leaving years of distance between them before the final loss. Cathy said she had held onto hope throughout those years that her daughter would eventually find her way back home.

Despite the silence, she never stopped thinking of her daughter or wondering where she was. That uncertainty, she said, became one of the hardest parts of the years that followed.

Daveigh Chase’s Mom Searched For Her Daughter Until The Very End

In the hours before her daughter’s death was publicly confirmed, Cathy had already sensed something was wrong. The Blast reported that she had been scouring online forums and news sites nightly in hopes of finding any trace of her daughter.

“I would look at their list of unidentified bodies. It was very difficult, but you do everything you can as a mother,” Cathy said of checking the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s website.

Daveigh first found fame as a child, appearing in “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “E.R.” before voicing Lilo in “Lilo & Stitch” and starring as Samara in “The Ring.” Her early success stood in stark contrast to her final years.

Friends Desperately Searched Skid Row Before Her Death Was Confirmed

Cathy was not alone in her search. The Blast reported that friends of the actress had also been combing Los Angeles’ Skid Row in the days before her death was officially confirmed.

Daveigh had reportedly been living in the area, struggling with homelessness amid her ongoing battle with addiction. Her disappearance had left loved ones increasingly worried in her final weeks.

Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, ultimately confirmed her death to TMZ, revealing she had passed away in the hospital after battling meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis.

Questions Emerge Over Daveigh Chase’s Final Years And Unclaimed Fortune

As public attention turned to the circumstances surrounding Daveigh’s death, new questions have emerged about the former child star’s finances and final years.

Daveigh’s longtime manager claimed she had substantial unclaimed earnings from her acting career, including royalties and residuals tied to “Lilo & Stitch” and other projects.

Questions also surfaced over a GoFundMe campaign launched after her death. Her former manager challenged the fundraiser’s legitimacy, insisting Daveigh’s estate already had the resources to cover funeral expenses and urging supporters not to donate.

With reports of unclaimed earnings, concerns about her well-being before her death, and a growing dispute over who should speak on her behalf, the tragedy leaves one lingering question: How does a former child star reportedly owed millions end up facing such heartbreaking circumstances in her final years?