Melissa Gilbert is opening up about the conflict in her life after husband Timothy Busfield was arrested and accused of sexual misconduct involving a minor earlier this year.
“There’s a lot going on in the world (and in my life) right now. A lot of uncertainty and turmoil. A lot of sorrow. There’s also a lot of joy and beauty and peace to be had,” Gilbert, 62, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, October 13, alongside a video of a serene lake in the Catskill Mountains in southeastern New York State.
The Little House on the Prairie alum added, “When I feel unsettled, unsafe or unsure, all I have to do is walk across the street and see serenity and hope with my own two eyes. This is the place where my shoulders lower, my jaw unclenches and my mind stops racing. I love where we live.”
Gilbert tagged the post with the hashtags #hope and #lovemylife.
Melissa Gilbert and Husband Timothy Busfield’s Relationship Timeline
An arrest warrant for Busfield, 69, was issued by New Mexico police in January, accusing the actor and television director of touching two twin underage boys inappropriately during their time on the TV series The Cleaning Lady, several episodes of which Busfield directed.
Busfield was indicted on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child in February, to which he has pleaded not guilty. He has maintained his innocence and denied the charges against him. (The case is set to go to trial in May 2027.)
“The indictment was not unexpected. As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich,” Busfield’s lawyer, Larry Stein, said in a February statement. “What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial.”
Stein continued, “This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law. Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court — where evidence matters — not behind closed doors.”
Timothy Busfield’s Child Sex Abuse Case: Everything to Know So Far
Shortly after her husband’s arrest, a rep for Gilbert said, in a statement, “During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family as they navigate this moment. Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”
In April, Gilbert sat down for an interview with Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos, once again defending her husband.
“Our life as we knew it is done,” she said at the time. “We are grieving what we had — all of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects. For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled. Even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. [He’s] the last person in the world who would hurt a child. And 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.”
Gilbert added, “I am 100 percent confident he will be exonerated.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
