Melissa Gilbert Condemned Child Abuse Weeks Before Timothy Busfield’s Arrest Warrant Was Issued

Timothy Busfield is facing some pretty serious criminal charges. The actor and director has been accused of inappropriate contact with minors and child abuse. The allegations stem from troubling on-set behavior. While Hollywood is shocked, fans can’t help but look back at a post that Melissa Gilbert, Busfield’s wife, shared on social media weeks before his imminent arrest became public. The Little House on the Prairie star just posted about child sexual abuse and exploitation.

What is Timothy Busfield charged with?

On January 9, 2026, authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, issued an arrest warrant for Timothy Busfield. The actor is being charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of child abuse. The charges stem from allegations that Busfield had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with two boys who were working as child actors on the set of The Cleaning Lady. According to the AP News, a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital blew the whistle while treating one of the victims. They suspected sexual abuse and informed the authorities. An investigation was launched immediately.

While the latest allegations are the first to result in a criminal complaint, Timothy Busfield has actually been in trouble for inappropriate sexual contact with a minor before. According to several sources, Busfield attempted to sue a law firm in the 1990s after they represented a teen who said Busfield sexually assaulted her on the set of Little Big League. He lost the case and settled with the unnamed teen out of court. The movie was released in 1994.

Melissa Gilbert posted about child sex abuse weeks ago

Timothy Busfield’s current charges and the previous allegations against him have fans looking towards his wife, Melissa Gilbert. Famed for her role on Little House on the Prairie, Gilbert wrote about child sexual abuse in a social media upload just weeks before her husband’s arrest. She lamented how the industry takes advantage of child and teen stars, who are vulnerable to exploitation.

According to People, Gilbert was outraged by Megyn Kelly’s statement about Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. She said that while she had people to protect her on set, the mentality about teenage girls remains deeply problematic. She wrote, “Thank God my mom and Michael and so many others were there to make sure I was safe. Can you imagine if I hadn’t had them all? I am so fortunate (Sort of). Many other young women aren’t.”

The timing of the post has fans questioning if Gilbert knew what was coming or if the upload was unbelievably coincidental. The latter seems to be the case. Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013. The previous allegations, involving the teen girl, occurred years before Gilbert and Busfield began a romantic relationship. The most recent allegations are brand new; it doesn’t appear that anyone had a heads-up about what was to come.

Melissa Gilbert has not issued a public statement. Her Instagram account appears to have been deactivated.