Melissa Gilbert Addresses Child Sex Abuse Just Weeks Prior to Husband Timothy Busfield's Arrest Warrant

Melissa Gilbert took to social media to discuss child sex abuse, just weeks before her husband, Timothy Busfield, became the subject of an arrest warrant for multiple counts of criminal sexual contact with minors.

The Albuquerque Police Department issued the warrant on January 9, alleging that Busfield, 68, engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twins. One of the boys claimed that the abuse began when he was just 7 years old.

In a reflective Instagram post dated November 15, Gilbert, 61, shared a nostalgic photo from her time on Little House on the Prairie. She recounted her experiences working alongside Dean Butler, who portrayed her older love interest, highlighting the significant age difference between them.

“I debated posting this but felt compelled to share,” Gilbert wrote. “After seeing many women’s posts with hashtags like #iwasfifteen, I decided to Google myself at that age.”

She expressed discomfort with her past, stating, “The girl on vacation in Hawaii is the same girl who was expected to kiss a man several years older than she was.” Gilbert emphasized the shocking nature of these realizations through a contemporary lens. “I WAS A CHILD. I WAS FIFTEEN,” she reiterated, grateful for the support she received from her mother and Michael Landon Sr. “Many other young women aren’t as fortunate,” she added.

Representatives for both Gilbert and Busfield have not responded to inquiries regarding the allegations. Gilbert's post followed controversial remarks made by Megyn Kelly about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, where Kelly questioned Epstein's classification as a pedophile.

“@Megynkelly you need to be careful with your words,” Gilbert concluded her post, underscoring the sensitivity surrounding such discussions.

The investigation into Busfield began in November 2024 after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported suspected sexual abuse. The arrest warrant details that the victims’ parents informed Officer Marvin Kirk Brown that their sons had met Busfield while working on the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as director.

Following legal advice, the parents took their children to UNMH, where professionals suggested that the boys had been “groomed.” However, authorities later determined that the case did not meet their acceptance criteria at that time.

In October 2025, the victims’ mother filed a police report stating that her children disclosed sexual abuse by Busfield from late 2022 to spring 2024. Despite this, she was informed that without physical evidence of abuse, no action could be taken.

During police questioning, Busfield reportedly claimed that the parents were upset over their sons being replaced by a younger actor. Shortly thereafter, he received a call from Warner Bros. regarding an ongoing investigation into the allegations.

Prior to this arrest warrant, Busfield faced sexual assault allegations dating back to 1994; however, those claims did not result in charges. Gilbert and Busfield first met in the 1980s and reconnected in 2012 after Gilbert's divorce from Bruce Boxleitner.

Last April, Gilbert celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary with a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, expressing gratitude for their life together filled with love and creativity.

If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or visit www.childhelp.org for confidential support available 24/7 in over 170 languages.