Jennifer Garner dragged into Daveigh Chase drama as she supports Melissa Gilbert's controversial post

In her lengthy Instagram post on Monday, Gilbert reflected on working with Chase on an unaired television pilot more than two decades ago, saying she sensed troubling family dynamics even after only a few days together.

'I only worked with Daveigh a couple of days, but I could see she was bright both in countenance and in mind. She was bubbly, sweet and professional. But there was something else there, a push or need to perform…for her parents,' Gilbert wrote alongside a throwback photo of the young actress.

Drawing on her own experience as a child star on Little House on the Prairie, Gilbert said she had encountered countless 'stage parents' throughout her career and warned that the entertainment industry can become dangerous when parents become overly invested in their child's success.

'Child stardom, in itself, is not a guarantee of dysfunction. However, when a parent or parents lose sight of who THEY are, of what their true responsibility is, and their lives revolve solely around their little star child, well, that's where the trouble begins,' Gilbert continued. 

'It takes strong parenting to handle all that comes with it. The terrible part is that so few child actors continue on to have careers as actors. For most, it goes away, and when that happens it not only devastates the child, but it turns the whole family upside down.'

Gilbert went on to say she was left 'truly heartbroken' after learning more about the circumstances surrounding Chase's death and urged parents considering putting their children into show business to prioritize their well-being over fame.

She added, 'Today, reading the circumstances of Daveigh's death, I'm truly heartbroken. I certainly understand substance addiction disorder, but this sweet girl's death is so much more. 

'If I had the chance to speak to any parents who were thinking about getting their children in the industry, I would tell them to please, please make sure that they are doing it for the right reasons. 

'That they will take the child to an accountant regularly so that he or she knows exactly what he or she is making, and where it is going. 

'To be sure it's something the child really wants. To be sure that that child has a life outside of the industry that is thriving and full of friends and responsibilities and 'normal' things. 

'I would also ask that these parents memorize this sweet girl's face and her story so that it never happens again.'

Reaction in the comments section of Gilbert’s post was largely supportive, with many users thanking her for sharing her perspective.

However, not everyone was convinced. A handful of commenters pushed back strongly, with one writing, 'Why does your post read, as if you're putting all the blame to what happened on her parents?! This is wrong!'

'Unless you have had constant contact with the family over the years and know exactly how things went, I'd suggest to clean in front your own door before judging others,' the user continued.

Elsewhere on X, the response was even more heated. Under posts sharing coverage of Gilbert’s remarks, users quickly turned the conversation toward sex abuse allegations involving her husband.

'Melissa Gilberts husband is a pedophile sooooo,' one user wrote. Busfield has denied all wrongdoing.

'How’s her husband’s trial going?' said another.

Chase rose to fame as the voice of Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch before reprising the role in several sequels and the animated series. 

She later became known to horror fans for playing Samara Morgan in The Ring and also appeared in Donnie Darko and its sequel, S. Darko.