Melissa Gilbert, known for her role in “Little House on the Prairie,” continues to stand by her husband, Timothy Busfield. He’s an Emmy-winning actor who has faced accusations of child sexual abuse since earlier in the year.
In her first interview since her husband, Peter Busfield, was indicted in February, Melissa Gilbert told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that she completely trusts him with the well-being of her family – including her children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. She also believes he will be found innocent when the trial takes place next year.
She stated in an interview on Monday’s “Good Morning America” that if she believed Tim Busfield had harmed a child, he would face consequences far worse than just imprisonment.
A New Mexico grand jury indicted 68-year-old Busfield in February on four charges of sexually abusing a child. This follows accusations from New Mexico officials, made a month earlier, that Busfield inappropriately touched two young brothers while working as an actor, director, and producer on the Fox television show, “The Cleaning Lady.”
Entertainment & Arts
I was shocked to hear the news about Timothy Busfield. Apparently, a New Mexico grand jury has indicted him on four counts of sexually abusing children. The reports say he’s accused of assaulting two young actors, and honestly, it’s just awful to hear.
According to the legal complaint, one former child actor claims that Busfield repeatedly touched him inappropriately when he was 7 and 8 years old, specifically in his private areas, while on set. In a police interview, Busfield reportedly suggested the boys’ mother may have been motivated by revenge because he didn’t recast her children for the show’s final season.
Busfield surrendered to authorities shortly after a warrant was issued for his arrest and claimed he hadn’t done anything wrong. He was briefly held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, but was released without bail on January 20th.
Gilbert, 61, described the accusations and everything that followed as deeply traumatic, telling Stephanopoulos that the recent months have been “the most traumatizing experiences of our lives” and that her family’s life has been irrevocably changed.
The couple got married in 2013. Actor Michael Busfield, known for his role in “The West Wing,” has three grown children from previous relationships. He’s also a stepfather to Jane Gilbert’s two adult sons, also from previous marriages. When news of the allegations broke, a spokesperson for Gilbert stated she wouldn’t be commenting on her husband’s legal issues, dismissed any unofficial statements, and emphasized that she was prioritizing the well-being of their family.
In an interview on Monday, Gilbert explained that she and her husband are deeply saddened by the loss of their future plans and aspirations. She stated that her husband is now effectively ostracized – “canceled,” as she put it – and believes the accusations will continue to harm his career, even if he is eventually cleared of wrongdoing. Both Gilbert and Busfield’s lawyer, Larry Stein, expressed confidence in his eventual exoneration to the interviewer.
Entertainment & Arts
Melissa Gilbert has returned to social media while navigating a very challenging period, following allegations of child sexual abuse against her husband, Timothy Busfield.
When asked how her husband could find justice, Gilbert said she wanted him cleared of all charges and a formal apology. She simply wants to remove the doubt surrounding his name.
During the interview, attorney Stein firmly reiterated his stance that the young actors and their parents are definitely making untrue claims against Busfield. ABC News reached out to the parents of the actors for a response, but they did not reply.
Gilbert also revealed to Stephanopoulos that she knew about two prior sexual harassment accusations against her husband, Busfield, made by separate women in 1994 and 2012. These incidents were detailed in the January complaint filed against him.
She stated she wasn’t unaware of the issues in her relationship and wasn’t involved in any wrongdoing. She and her husband had talked about the accusations, and she’d heard his explanation, which she believes to be true – something she says no one else has. She indicated that her husband, Tim, will eventually address the past allegations fully when he feels ready.
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2026-04-06 23:31