Entertainment
Melissa Gilbert Explains Gifts to Boys in Timothy Busfield Case
Melissa Gilbert is continuing to share what she claims is her side of the story three months after her husband, Timothy Busfield, was arrested amid allegations of child sexual abuse.
In an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Nightline Monday, April 6, Gilbert, 61, was asked about reports that she and Busfield, 68, gave Christmas gifts to the two boys at the center of Busfield’s case.
“I’ll let Larry get into the specifics of what happened with that part of the complaint,” Gilbert responded, turning to Busfield’s attorney, Larry Stein, who was interviewed alongside her.
“Tim did not give the boys gifts. Melissa gave them gifts,” Stein said. “Melissa gave them and every other child at a Christmas party a gift. Every child at the Christmas party. Not treating them special or different than anyone.”
Melissa Gilbert is standing by her decision to defend husband Timothy Busfield after he was arrested on allegations of child sexual abuse. In a clip from her upcoming interview with Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos, Gilbert, 61, called Busfield’s arrest “the most traumatizing experience of our lives.” “Our life as we knew it is done,” […]
According to Stein, the twin brothers accusing Busfield of inappropriate touching on the set of Fox’s The Cleaning Lady are “victims in this case,” and the allegations were orchestrated by the boys’ parents after their roles were recast on the show.
“They are victims of the parents, not victims of Tim. … The boys were the parents’ meal ticket, and when they were fired, they assumed Tim was responsible for it. The truth is he was not,” Stein alleged.
Stephanopoulos said that the family of the alleged victims did not respond for comment prior to the interview airing.
In the first part of the interview that aired during the Monday episode of Good Morning America, Gilbert was asked about prior accusations made against Busfield from 1994 and 2012.
Melissa Gilbert is standing by her husband, Timothy Busfield, despite his child sex abuse charges, calling his arrest “the most traumatizing experience of our lives” while maintaining her belief in his innocence. The Little House on the Prairie alum broke her silence in a candid interview with George Stephanopoulos that aired during the April 6, […]
“I need to make something really abundantly clear,” she said. “These allegations have been out in the ether for a really long time. When Tim and I got together, the internet existed. I didn’t go into my relationship with him blind. I am neither naive nor am I complicit. I talked to him about it, I asked him questions about it. I heard his side of the story — which no one has ever heard — which is the truth. And when the time is right, and that is not now, Tim will tell the truth of all of these past allegations when he needs to.”
Gilbert shared that she is “100 percent confident” that Busfield will be exonerated, but said that the pair “have to be prepared for all scenarios.”
“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, we’ve been through struggles, we’ve had our own issues to deal with and we’ve worked through everything,” she said. “He is nothing if not completely honest with me. I trust him with my children’s lives, with my grandchildren’s lives, my nieces and nephews. He is an honorable, caring, generous human being.”
Gilbert became emotional when detailing what “justice” would look like for her and Busfield, replying, “Exoneration, an apology, free him from this cloud.” After the broadcast, Busfield’s civil lawyer, Stein, shared his appreciation for Stephanopoulos for “taking the time to clarify some important facts in this case.”
UPDATE 1/21/26, 11:45 a.m. ET: Timothy Busfield‘s wife, Melissa Gilbert, is celebrating his release from jail before his child sex abuse trial. Following the judge’s decision on Tuesday, January 20, Busfield’s civil attorney Larry Stein told People that the actor “feels wonderful,” as does his wife, who is “very, very excited.” Gilbert was seen in […]
“We hope the remainder of the interview airing on tonight’s Nightline will make clear that the parents are criminals: one served more than three years in jail and lost their license to practice law for defrauding 1,500 people of $6,000,000, and the other for writing bad checks and stealing cars,” the statement continued.
Us Weekly confirmed in January that an arrest warrant was issued for Busfield after he was accused of child sexual abuse by two twin brothers on the set of The Cleaning Lady. Busfield turned himself into law enforcement days later and denied the allegations.
Gilbert, for her part, came to Busfield’s defense in a statement at the time. (Gilbert and Busfield have been married for 12 years.)
“During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family as they navigate this moment,” her rep told Us. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”
Busfield’s attorney, Stein, told Us in a statement that the actor was “innocent,” claiming that the accusers’ mother made the allegations in an effort to “get her revenge against Timothy” after her son was fired from the production.
Busfield was released from police custody in January and was indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child the next month. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is set to begin trial in May 2027.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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