Melissa Gilbert Defends Husband Timothy Busfield After Child Abuse Charges, Says She Is '100% Confident'
Melissa Gilbert is speaking out about the charges against her husband, Timothy Busfield.
The 61-year-old Little House on the Prairie actress emotionally spoke out in an interview on Good Morning America on Monday (April 6) with George Stephanopoulos following her 68-year-old husband’s indictment in February on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, to which he has pled not guilty and vowed to “confront these lies.”
He has been accused of sexually abusing two boys, who were allegedly 7 and 8 at the time, on the set of The Cleaning Lady when he was directing an episode in 2022. His trial is scheduled for 2027.
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Timothy‘s attorneys alleged in a January filing that the parents of the twin actors on the show have a “disturbing” history of alleged fraud, and allegedly blamed Timothy when their sons were recast as a way to seek revenge.
“Their allegations emerged only after the loss of the twins’ role — and only after consultation with civil counsel — creating an obvious financial and retaliatory motive,” the filing reads.
“It’s time. We have been hearing and reading too much untruth, and we felt that the time was right to speak out. Also, honestly, I wasn’t capable until now. It’s been a very traumatic time,” Melissa said of her decision to speak out on GMA.
Melissa Gilbert sits down with @ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in her first interview since her husband, Timothy Busfield, was charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor, stemming from his work as a director. pic.twitter.com/48CCxiMrE2
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 6, 2026
“I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him. Our marriage has, you know, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs. We’ve been through struggles. We’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything. He is nothing if not completely honest with me. I trust him with my children’s lives, with my grandchildren’s lives, my nieces and nephews. He is an honorable, caring, generous human being,” Melissa said, defending her husband.
“I am 100% confident he will be exonerated, but I will tell you that there is a practical side to this, and we do have to be prepared for all scenarios,” Melissa went on to say.
As far as what justice will look like, Melissa tearfully said: “Exoneration, an apology, freedom from this cloud.”
She also called the experience “traumatizing.”