Melissa Gilbert asks judge to protect husband Timothy Busfield amid sex abuse charges

Melissa Gilbert is asking a judge to keep her husband, Timothy Busfield, safe as "The Cleaning Lady" director remains in New Mexico facing charges of child sex abuse.

Busfield, 68, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse on Jan. 9. The charges come after New Mexico authorities issued an arrest warrant and both state police and U.S. Marshals searched for him, according to a criminal complaint viewed by USA TODAY.

Among the over 70 letters of support for Busfield was one from the "Little House on the Prairie" actor, who explained how much her husband means to her.

"The reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life. He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humor and quick wit bring sparkle to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family," Gilbert wrote to a judge of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.

Gilbert recounted meeting her husband in the 1980s and crossing paths for decades until they fell in love in 2012. She said this was the "strangest letter I’ve ever had to write" as she tried to "tow a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me."

"I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over. I can’t help it. I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole. So, I will close by asking you to please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart. I am relying on you to protect him for me," she added.

Gilbert is listed as a potential witness at Busfield's pre-trial detention hearing on Jan. 20, where a judge will determine whether Busfield is bailed or remains behind bars as the case continues.

What has Melissa Gilbert said about claims against husband?

A statement provided to People magazine and Us Weekly on Jan. 13 said that "Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time."

The statement from the actress said that "any purported 'statements' circulating online — including AI-generated deepfakes of her 'breaking her silence' — should not be treated as coming from her."

Gilbert is "honoring the request" of Busfield's lawyers to refrain from speaking about her husband's case as "the legal process unfolds," according to the statement.

When did Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert get married?

Busfield and Gilbert were married April 24, 2013, in a private ceremony at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, according to People. The pair moved to Michigan, where Busfield is from, following their wedding.

Though the couple are both parents, they do not share biological children.

Gilbert has two sons from her previous marriages to "Gettysburg" actor Bo Brinkman and "How the West Was Won" actor and sci-fi writer Bruce Boxleitner.

Meanwhile, Busfield has three children: one with actress and director Radha Delamarter, and two with fashion designer Jennifer Merwin.

What is Timothy Busfield accused of?

Busfield has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.

The charges involve two minors who appeared in the series "The Cleaning Lady," which Busfield directed, according to a criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department.

Busfield's abuse of the minors allegedly occurred between late 2022 and early 2024. One child alleged that Busfield had touched his genitals several times. Both say Busfield touched them inappropriately and instructed them to call him "Uncle Tim."

According to the complaint, the children's mother reported the incidents to Child Protective Services. One child has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, and feared disclosing the alleged abuse because of retaliation from Busfield, the complaint claims. In 2024, University of New Mexico Hospital staff members requested an investigation because it appeared the boys were being groomed.

According to the affidavit, Busfield acknowledged to police in a phone interview on speaker phone with Gilbert present that the set was a "playful environment" and that he had "likely" tickled the boys. He suggested the allegations were a form of revenge because the boys had been fired from the show. Production assistants told Albuquerque police that Busfield was sometimes touchy or unprofessional.

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Laura Trujillo, Pamela Avila, Anna Kaufman, Edward Segarra and Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY