Melissa Gilbert, famed for her role as Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, spoke publicly for the first time about her husband Timothy Busfield following his arrest on child sexual contact charges. In a tearful interview on Good Morning America, Gilbert defended Busfield’s character and insisted she trusts him completely with their children and grandchildren.
Busfield, who was indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on February 6 for four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, has maintained his innocence and remains free pending trial. The allegations reportedly arose while he was directing the television series ‘The Cleaning Lady’ in Albuquerque. Despite the gravity of the charges, Gilbert said she knows Busfield “in her bones” and called him “honorable, caring, generous” and “completely honest.”
Gilbert described the impact of the accusations on their lives as profound. “Our life as we knew it is done. We are grieving what we had. All of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects,” she said. Gilbert emphasised that even if Busfield is exonerated, his reputation will inevitably be affected. She added, “The last person in the world who would hurt a child… Believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he’d have a lot more to worry about than prison.”
The couple, married since 2013, has faced public scrutiny as Gilbert navigates defending her husband while processing the shock and emotional toll of the situation. She highlighted the trust and deep understanding they share, stating that no one knows Busfield better than she does and that their marriage has endured challenges they have always worked through together.
Gilbert’s remarks shed light on the personal consequences of high-profile legal allegations, illustrating the intersection of public life, family loyalty, and the intense scrutiny faced by actors in Hollywood. Her statements on ABC aim to present Busfield’s character from the perspective of someone who has known him intimately for years.
In 1994, a 17-year-old female extra accused Busfield of sexual assault during the filming of Little Big League in 1993, when she was 16. She said, “I was 17 at the time, my friend was 18. It was just really strange saying things and way too interested in talking to a 17-year-old. At some point, I did try to leave, and he pinned me against the refrigerator in the trailer, with his foot in my crotch.” Busfield denied the allegations and filed a countersuit against the girl’s lawyers, accusing them of defamation. The actor eventually settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.
In 1996, a judge ordered the actor to pay US$150,000 (equivalent to about $308,000 in 2025) to the Minneapolis law firm that had represented the accuser following the loss of his defamation suit.
In 2012, a 28-year-old woman accused Busfield of groping her while the two were on a date, attending a film at a Los Angeles-area movie theater, but the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against him, citing insufficient evidence. Busfield said “the contact was consensual.”
On January 9, 2026, American media reported that a warrant had been issued in New Mexico for Busfield’s arrest. He was accused of sexually assaulting twin boys on set during the filming of the TV series The Cleaning Lady.
