Child Star Ashley Johnson Recounts Near-Kidnapping on "Growing Pains" Set

Actress Ashley Johnson has shared a harrowing account of a near-kidnapping attempt during her time as a child star on the sitcom "Growing Pains." Johnson, who played Chrissy Seaver, recounted the terrifying incident that took place when she was just seven years old.

She described walking with her mother near the live audience during a taping when a man suddenly emerged from the crowd, grabbed her, and began to run. "All I remember is that security somehow caught him," Johnson said in a recent podcast appearance. "The security guards came out, took him down, and I remember just flying through the air."

Amidst the chaos, the then-seven-year-old Johnson was reportedly more concerned about getting in trouble for losing a shoe than the danger she was in. The situation was made more sinister by the fact that the assailant had previously sent a message to the production team, threatening to bring a gun and kill actors. This threat was not taken seriously until the incident occurred, at which point a gun was indeed found on him.

Johnson, who later gained recognition for voice acting roles in "Recess" and "Ben 10," and most recently as Ellie in "The Last of Us" video game, concluded her testimony by stating, "Obviously, he ended up in jail. He had a gun. They caught him, and they saved me."