Melissa Gilbert said she is “safe, grounded and deeply held” while thanking supporters during what she called an “extraordinarily difficult time,” after her husband, actor-director Timothy Busfield, faced criminal charges in New Mexico tied to alleged sexual abuse of minors.
Gilbert’s statement, posted through her Modern Prairie venture, marked her first personal message since Busfield’s arrest and release decision. She wrote about stepping back from “the noise” and focusing on family and rest, while signaling she will return to public-facing work gradually. Her representative had previously asked for privacy and warned that fabricated “statements” circulating online should be treated as false.
Busfield, 68, turned himself in after a warrant was issued on two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, stemming from allegations involving two child actors connected to the Fox drama “The Cleaning Lady,” according to court records cited in news reports. Fox and Warner Bros. Television said they take allegations involving minors seriously and will cooperate with law enforcement.
At a January 20 detention hearing in Albuquerque, prosecutors urged the court to keep Busfield jailed while the case moves toward trial, arguing he posed a danger and pointing to alleged grooming behavior and misuse of authority. Judge David Murphy ordered Busfield released on his own recognizance, citing his lack of criminal history and compliance with the court process, and said the weight of evidence appeared “neutral” based on what he had reviewed at that stage.
The judge imposed conditions that include supervision by pretrial services, a prohibition on firearms, and restrictions on contact with the alleged victims and other potential witnesses, according to reporting from the courtroom. Busfield has publicly denied wrongdoing and said he will fight the charges.
