Melissa Gilbert supported her husband, Timothy Busfield, by attending his pretrial hearing on Tuesday. Busfield is accused of offenses against a child, and the hearing was to determine if he would be released on bail before his trial begins.
Gilbert arrived at court almost an hour early, and appeared unhappy as she entered with a large group of lawyers beside her.
The mother of two dressed in a style reminiscent of the American prairie, pairing a paisley dress with a velvet blazer and tan suede boots.
Melissa Gilbert, the actress known for ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ has remained out of the public eye since her husband, Kelly Busfield, turned himself in to police in Albuquerque last week.
At the upcoming hearing, the judge will decide what requirements Busfield needs to fulfill if he wants to be released from jail while awaiting his trial.
Oh my gosh, it’s really happening! They’re finally going to officially tell everyone what he’s accused of, and then he’ll have to appear in court to answer those three charges. I can’t believe it’s actually coming to this… I’m so nervous for him, but I’ll be there, of course, to support him no matter what!
TMZ reported today on audio released by the lawyers for Danny Busfield. The audio features two child actors, who claim Busfield inappropriately touched them, stating they initially told police in November 2024 that he never touched their private areas.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely, and I’m hearing that Busfield’s legal team just submitted the audio from the boys’ initial police interview to the New Mexico court. They’re arguing that the recording clearly shows the boys completely denied the accusations against Busfield – a point they believe is crucial to the case.
According to the recording, a police officer questioned the twin boys – identified in court papers as VL and SL – asking if they understood the difference between right and wrong, and if they knew no one should touch their private parts.
One boy responded: ‘Yeah, but he doesn’t touch those parts.’
The second boy responded: ‘No, he’s never touched me… never.’
Since being arrested, actor Timothy Busfield, known for his role on “The West Wing,” has been held at the city’s Metropolitan Detention Center. He’s currently in a special, more secure part of the jail called the Restrictive Housing Unit, which is for inmates who need extra protection.
The experienced actor is facing several charges related to sexual contact with a minor, as well as one charge of child abuse.
Gilbert didn’t say anything publicly about her husband’s difficulties, and she kept sharing cheerful content on her lifestyle brand’s social media, Modern Prairie. She did, however, delete her personal Instagram account.
Last Friday, she wrote a heartfelt letter to a New Mexico judge, urging them to release Busfield. The letter was submitted before a hearing to decide if the actor would be freed from jail or remain imprisoned.
In a letter to Judge David Murphy, the actor, who has been married three times, shared that Tim Busfield is the love of his life, his biggest support, and his business and life partner.
He’s my rock and the person I turn to for advice. His happiness, funny personality, and cleverness always brighten my day. Tim is truly the center of our big, lively family.
Let me tell you, I share a connection with Tim that goes incredibly deep – I truly know him, perhaps better than anyone else ever has. And the beautiful thing is, he feels exactly the same way about me. It’s a rare and special level of understanding.
Tim is the most genuinely good person I’ve ever met. He consistently puts others first and lives a life focused on helping them. He approaches each day with kindness and empathy.
She added: ‘I am trying to tow [sic] a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me.
I started writing this trying to be reasonable, but honestly, my emotions have completely taken over. I just can’t think straight. All I care about is that this incredible man is safe and well. That’s all that matters to me.
As I finish, I’m begging you to look after my beloved husband. He’s always been my shield, and I’m his, but I’m unable to keep him safe right now, and that’s what hurts the most. I’m counting on you to protect him in my place.
Gilbert was unfortunately exposed to public scrutiny when intimate details of her personal life became part of court documents. These details were included in a report assessing her risk as a sex offender, which was filed before a hearing regarding her release.
The records contained his responses to some sensitive questions and stated that Mr. Busfield and his wife are happy in their relationship. They shared that as they get older, they find more pleasure in companionship and cuddling than in sexual activity.
I was relieved to hear directly from Mr. Busfield’s wife – she confirmed everything he said about their happy and fulfilling intimate life together. It was good to have that clarification.
On January 9th, news broke that police in Albuquerque had issued an arrest warrant for Busfield. He’s accused of sexually abusing twin 11-year-old boys while filming the FOX series, The Cleaning Lady, in 2022.
Okay, so here’s what I’ve pieced together – it’s awful, honestly. Apparently, at first, the kids didn’t tell the police anything about what Busfield did – you know, the inappropriate touching. But then, months later in October 2025, their mom finally went to Child Protective Services because one of them confided in their therapist – and that’s when it all came out. It’s just… heartbreaking to think about. I’ve been following this case so closely, and it’s just getting worse and worse.
According to a sworn statement, the child told a therapist that Busfield inappropriately touched him in a bedroom on the set of the TV show, The Cleaning Lady.
Busfield, who maintains his innocence, disappeared for several days before turning himself in to authorities in New Mexico on January 13th. He had driven 2,000 miles from his home in upstate New York to do so.
He was formally charged with the crimes on the same day and appeared in court for the first time on January 14th. During the reading of the charges, he appeared sad and wore an orange prison uniform.
Prosecutors are asking a judge to keep him in jail until his trial, and they included details about a separate sex abuse case in their request. This other case involves a young girl who met the actor while he was performing at the B Street Theater in Sacramento.
Gilbert’s lawyers plan to call him as a witness as they try to secure his release before his trial begins.
Busfield has refuted all accusations and, in a video sent to TMZ while en route to turn himself in, stated he was ‘devastated’ by the claims.
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2026-01-20 23:34