The wife of Timothy Busfield, known for her role in Little House on the Prairie, has removed her Instagram account over the weekend.
An arrest warrant was issued for Busfield on January 9th. He faces accusations of abusing twin boys when they were 7 years old while directing them on the TV show The Cleaning Lady. The allegations describe inappropriate touching under the pretense of play.
Busfield now faces formal charges of two counts of sexual contact with a minor and child abuse.
He and his wife, Melissa Gilbert, reside in upstate New York, but the arrest warrant originates from New Mexico. Reports indicate that Busfield’s location is currently unknown, and the U.S. Marshals Service is involved in locating him.
In light of the situation, NBC has extended the airing of episodes featuring Busfield on Law and Order: SVU from January 15th to the 22nd.
Gilbert, who married Busfield in 2013, deleted her Instagram account following the allegations. This deletion seems to stem from negative feedback she received after criticizing former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly over her comments related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Gilbert expressed her indignation, stating, “It actually makes me sick,” while reflecting on her own experiences as a young actress. She mentioned being in situations where she had to kiss older actors, noting how shocking it is when viewed through a modern lens. She expressed gratitude for those who ensured her safety during her early career.
“You have to be careful with your words,” she advised Kelly.
In the wake of the allegations against her husband, it has come to light that Gilbert herself criticized Kelly for seemingly diminishing the severity of Epstein’s abuse. It’s suggested that Gilbert was aware of the investigations into Busfield’s past conduct while making her remarks.
Furthermore, Busfield has faced previous accusations of sexual misconduct in both 1994 and 2024, although no criminal charges were ever filed against him. He maintains that he is innocent and suggests that the allegations might be retaliatory from the boys’ families.
