Daveigh Chase's friends reportedly spent years trying to locate actress after Skid Row lead

Friends of actress Daveigh Chase reportedly spent years trying to locate the former child star before her death, with searches extending to Los Angeles' Skid Row area in the months leading up to her passing.

According to TMZ, sources close to Chase said members of her inner circle had been attempting to reconnect with her after she became increasingly difficult to contact amid personal struggles.

The report states that friends received what they believed was a lead regarding her whereabouts several months before her death.

They were reportedly sent a video that they believed showed Chase living in Skid Row, an area of downtown Los Angeles known for its large homeless population and encampments.

Sources cited by the outlet said friends believed the actress had lost a significant amount of weight and may have weighed as little as 75 pounds. Acting on the information they received, friends reportedly travelled to the area in an effort to find her.

However, according to the report, Chase was no longer there by the time they arrived. Sources said the search continued across parts of downtown Los Angeles in the weeks that followed, but they were unable to locate her.

TMZ also reported that social media footage later removed by The California Post appeared to show the actress looking extremely thin and barely conscious while inside a tent or trailer.

Chase died on Tuesday at a Los Angeles hospital. Reports say, her death was attributed to meningitis and a blood infection.

The actress rose to prominence for her role as Samara Morgan in the 2002 horror film The Ring. She was also widely recognised as the voice of Lilo in Disney's animated feature Lilo & Stitch.

Sources told TMZ that those close to Chase have been left devastated by her death and regret that they were unable to reconnect with her before she died.