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Fans think Lia Marie Johnson is in danger after Instagram Live with producer

Her producer kissed her while she was suspected to be under the influence, and then 'hijacked' her phone after realizing she was live streaming it.

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Brooke Sjoberg

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Posted on Jan 2, 2020   Updated on May 19, 2021, 6:59 pm CDT

Fans are extremely worried for YouTuber Lia Marie Johnson after an Instagram Live of her with her producer went viral.

In the Instagram Live, a man believed to be Johnson’s producer, Stephen Wetherbee, who is significantly older than her, can be seen kissing Johnson, 23, who is suspected to be under the influence.

Once the man realizes she is recording them, he questions her about it.

“Are you on Instagram? No you’re not–you can’t be on Instagram. Are you really on Instagram? Because that would be bad,” he says to her. “Were you on Instagram? Lia? Were you on Instagram?”

Johnson tells him she is not.

“Then what is this? Tell me the truth. What is this?” he questions again.

He then grabs her phone and turns off the stream.

“Now we’re going back to us. I’m hijacking your phone,” he says.

In a second Instagram Live, he pleads with her to “turn it off.”

“Lia, I need this not to go out, because it will affect my work, please.”

According to Dexerto, it is believed that fans who viewed the stream called the police.

“Fuck all of you, do not send the fucking police to my fucking address,” Johnson previously said during the stream.

In another Instagram Live, Johnson alleges the police showed up to her house and detained her.

“The cops showed up, and detained me, put cuffs on my hands. … There’s no reason to worry, I’m OK. I just want to be left alone,” she says.

https://twitter.com/radioheadsng/status/1212705516872318979

Johnson began to trend on Twitter, with fans expressing their concern for her.

“We need to save Lia Marie Johnson before something seriously bad happens. her instagram lives are seriously scary and something needs to happen now. is there anyone close to her i can contact?” Twitter user @2020predicts wrote.

Another called the video “chilling.”

“Lia Marie Johnson is in serious danger…” they wrote.

https://twitter.com/2020predicts/status/1212814718911549440

https://twitter.com/jiminiesfIowers/status/1212732107547652096

https://twitter.com/roya1tees/status/1212726222746214402

https://twitter.com/wornoutlavalamp/status/1212722697567952896

Wetherbee, who reportedly began working with Johnson when she was a minor, allegedly deleted all his social media accounts.

“This man works with children. THAT is why he probably doesn’t want this to get out. THAT is why he deleted all of his accounts and THAT is what makes him a fucking creep. We need him the fuck away from Lia Marie Johnson,” Twitter user @n0str0mo_ wrote.

https://twitter.com/n0str0mo_/status/1212835256639852545

On Dec. 24, Johnson appeared emotional on another Instagram Live. She told viewers her behavior was the result of an “interesting mindset,” not drugs. She also posted similarly concerning streams over the summer.

Fans reacted similarly online by expressing support and concern for the YouTube star.

Johnson’s YouTube channel boasts 1.8 million subscribers. Her content largely focuses on musical work and vlogging, but she hasn’t uploaded anything since 2018. Her Twitter account, while more recently active, went quiet toward the end of November.

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H/T Dexerto

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*First Published: Jan 2, 2020, 10:19 pm CST

Brooke Sjoberg

Brooke Sjoberg is a freelance writer for the Daily Dot. She graduated with her Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020.

Brooke Sjoberg