After randomly meeting in a bar in 2012, Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield got married the next year. The two actors, both known for their work on the small screen, have been together ever since.
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But Gilbert is now keeping her distance from fans. The Little House on the Prairie star has deleted her Instagram account.
This decision follows news from Albuquerque, where police recently issued an arrest warrant alleging unlawful sexual conduct by Busfield involving two minors.
What Happened to Timothy Busfield?
Busfield, known for his roles on The West Wing and Thirtysomething, faces allegations that he sexually abused two child actors while working as a director on the set of the drama The Cleaning Lady. The charges include two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
One of the accusers reportedly informed law enforcement that Busfield touched him inappropriately, noting his "private areas." According to the report, the incident allegedly occurred on set after a scene had finished being filmed. The boy who made the complaint was seven years old at the time.
According to the complaint, one child has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker states that the child shared that he experienced nightmares involving Busfield and woke up scared. The report indicates there was fear of retaliation if Busfield was reported.
The investigation began in 2024 after a call from a doctor. The mother of the victims reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between Nov. 2022 and the spring of 2024.
Busfield denies the allegations. TMZ reports that the actor shared with detectives that the lead actress on The Cleaning Lady, Elodie Yung, claimed the mother of the alleged victims wanted revenge for her kids not being invited back for the show's last season.
Melissa Gilbert Posted About Child Abuse Weeks Before the Allegations
Back in November, Gilbert shared on Instagram that a Little House on the Prairie storyline had her character falling in love with someone eight years her senior. She was 15 at the time.
"Thank God my mom and Michael [Landon] and so many others were there to make sure I was safe," she wrote. "Can you imagine if I hadn't had them all?"
The post was in response to political commentator Megyn Kelly's comments about Jeffrey Epstein debating his status as a p*dophile.
