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Melissa Gilbert Defends Her Husband Timothy Busfield

In her first public appearance since the controversy, Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert has come to the defense of her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield, following his arrest on charges of child sexual abuse. In February, a grand jury indicted Busfield on four counts related to criminal sexual contact with a minor, all classified as third-degree felonies, stemming from an incident that occurred on the set of the TV series The Cleaning Lady in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 68-year-old has pleaded guilty to the charges while maintaining his innocence. Gilbert has voiced her support for her husband amidst these serious allegations.

Melissa Gilbert Speaks Out in Support of Timothy Busfield

During an interview on Good Morning America with George Stephanopoulos, Gilbert asserted her husband's innocence. She explained that while directing The Cleaning Lady, Busfield was accused of inappropriately touching a child actor. Gilbert expressed her deep understanding of her husband, stating that no one knows him better than she does. Despite facing challenges in their marriage, the couple has managed to navigate through them together.

She emphasized that Busfield has always been truthful with her, saying, "I trust him with my children’s lives, I trust him with my grandchildren’s lives, my nieces and nephews. He is an honorable, caring, generous human being." The couple tied the knot on April 24, 2013, and Gilbert, who has been married twice before, mentioned that the allegations have drastically altered their lives, leading them to mourn the life they once had. She noted that Busfield has been 'cancelled' in the public eye, and even if he is cleared of the charges, he will always be remembered as the person who faced such accusations. According to Gilbert, he is the last person who would ever harm a child.

Timothy Busfield remains free as he awaits his upcoming trial.

Melissa Gilbert Discusses Past Allegations Against Busfield

In the same interview, Gilbert addressed earlier allegations of sexual assault against Busfield from 1994 and 2012. The 61-year-old actress stated that these claims have been public knowledge for some time. She clarified that she did not enter the relationship without awareness, asserting that she is neither naive nor complicit.

Gilbert revealed that she had discussed these past allegations with Busfield and listened to his perspective. She believes that his truth has not been heard and expressed confidence that he will eventually share his side of the story regarding the previous claims.