Melissa Gilbert has released her first public statement since her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield, was charged with child sex abuse, saying she is relying on community support while navigating what she described as an “extraordinarily difficult time.”
“I’m sending you all my love and gratitude during this extraordinarily difficult time,” Gilbert wrote, adding that the strain extends beyond her family to “the collective heaviness so many of us seem to be carrying right now.”
She said the experience has reinforced the importance of rest, reflection, and stepping away from “the noise, the news, and even our daily responsibilities.”
Gilbert said she plans to return gradually.
“I’ll be easing back into things thoughtfully and with care—moving forward one step at a time,” she wrote.
Busfield turned himself in earlier this month after the Albuquerque Police Department issued an arrest warrant alleging he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two minor boys.
Prosecutors said the alleged victims are twins whose identities have not been made public. One of the minors reported that the alleged conduct began when he was 7 years old.
Investigators said the children were actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX television series “The Cleaning Lady,” where Busfield worked as a director. Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking pretrial detention, citing the seriousness of the allegations.
“They’re all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it,” he said.
“I’m gonna fight it with a great team, and I’m gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies.”
Gilbert is best known for her role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on “Little House on the Prairie.” Busfield has appeared in multiple television series, including “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething.” He has also worked as a director.
