Actor Timothy Busfield's wife Melissa Gilbert has expressed support for him as he faces mounting allegations of prior sexual misconduct and a recent on-set child abuse charge in New Mexico.
Gilbert, who is best known for her role on Little House on the Prairie, shared a statement through her representative stating that she "supports her husband" during this challenging time but emphasized the need for privacy and space. Her focus appears to be centered on caring for their family as they navigate these allegations.
Busfield, 68, has been held without bond in connection with one count of child abuse following his arrest on January 9th on two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one charge of child abuse. Prosecutors have requested that he remain in custody until his trial, although it is possible that he may be conditionally released on bond.
Allegations against Busfield include incidents involving the alleged touching of two 11-year-old twin brothers, identified as SL and VL, who claim to have been inappropriately touched by the actor during filming. In a statement provided to TMZ, Busfield denied all allegations, stating that they were "all lies" and that he would fight them.
However, police in Albuquerque cited a pattern of alleged sexual misconduct on Busfield's work record. Court documents mentioned two other allegations against him, including an incident in 1994 where a 17-year-old extra claimed to have been assaulted by the actor after being served alcohol. In another incident in 2012, a woman alleged that Busfield had fondled her at a Los Angeles movie theater.
Busfield's acting career has spanned several notable projects, including Revenge of the Nerds, Field of Dreams, The West Wing, and Thirtysomething. His performance on Thirtysomething earned him an Emmy in 1991 for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
Gilbert, who is 61 and married to Busfield since 2013, has largely taken a step back from the public eye, deactivating her Instagram account and canceling a virtual question-and-answer session for her lifestyle brand. However, she received support from fellow actor Glenn Scarpelli on social media, with him expressing love and admiration for his friend Melissa Gilbert.
Gilbert, who is best known for her role on Little House on the Prairie, shared a statement through her representative stating that she "supports her husband" during this challenging time but emphasized the need for privacy and space. Her focus appears to be centered on caring for their family as they navigate these allegations.
Busfield, 68, has been held without bond in connection with one count of child abuse following his arrest on January 9th on two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one charge of child abuse. Prosecutors have requested that he remain in custody until his trial, although it is possible that he may be conditionally released on bond.
Allegations against Busfield include incidents involving the alleged touching of two 11-year-old twin brothers, identified as SL and VL, who claim to have been inappropriately touched by the actor during filming. In a statement provided to TMZ, Busfield denied all allegations, stating that they were "all lies" and that he would fight them.
However, police in Albuquerque cited a pattern of alleged sexual misconduct on Busfield's work record. Court documents mentioned two other allegations against him, including an incident in 1994 where a 17-year-old extra claimed to have been assaulted by the actor after being served alcohol. In another incident in 2012, a woman alleged that Busfield had fondled her at a Los Angeles movie theater.
Busfield's acting career has spanned several notable projects, including Revenge of the Nerds, Field of Dreams, The West Wing, and Thirtysomething. His performance on Thirtysomething earned him an Emmy in 1991 for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
Gilbert, who is 61 and married to Busfield since 2013, has largely taken a step back from the public eye, deactivating her Instagram account and canceling a virtual question-and-answer session for her lifestyle brand. However, she received support from fellow actor Glenn Scarpelli on social media, with him expressing love and admiration for his friend Melissa Gilbert.
my heart goes out to those two twin boys who are going through this trauma... i feel like timothy busfield's career is over and that's a shame because he did have some great roles 
but what really gets me is melissa gilbert stepping in and supporting him despite all these allegations... it just feels like she's trying to protect her husband's reputation rather than focusing on the boys who are suffering 
i wish glenn scarpelli would've kept his comments more lowkey tho 
. I mean, I get it, people are gonna support each other and all that, but come on... a 68-year-old dude gets accused of child abuse and 'all lies'? Give me a break! 
He's had multiple allegations, some dating back to the 90s, and now he's just denying them like they're not even real. Meanwhile, his wife is out there trying to save face and maintain their family life... I feel bad for her, tbh 
. But honestly, how much more evidence does she need before she cuts ties? 
and then there's the other allegations from years ago... it's just so sad that Busfield got in trouble again 
. I mean, Timothy Busfield has been acting for like, decades, and now all these past incidents come flooding back? It's like he's got a permanent record 
.
. But at the same time, doesn't it raise questions about how much of a role she should be playing in public eye right now? Shouldn't she just let her husband take the fall on his own? 
Like, I don't even know what's more cringeworthy - the fact that Timothy Busfield is facing these allegations or that his wife is trying to play it cool while her hubby's career is literally imploding 
... and btw, who thought it was a good idea for a 68-year-old actor to try to deny all allegations of child abuse? 
... I get it, fam, he's your husband and all, but come on, prioritize those twin brothers' feelings over your hubby's reputation for once? 