NM - Actor Timothy Busfield arrested, 10 January 2026

[sds71]

“I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him. Our marriage has had a lot of ups and downs, we’ve been through our struggles, we’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything. He is nothing if not completely honest with me. 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,” she said.

Melissa Gilbert Holds Back Tears While Defending Husband Timothy Busfield Against Child Sex Abuse Charges: ‘I Trust Him With My Children’s Lives’

Melissa Gilbert has defended her husband Timothy Busfield against the child sex abuse charges he is facing.

variety.com

Melissa Gilbert speaks out on charges against Timothy Busfield: ‘100% confident he will be exonerated’

Gilbert and Busfield, both actors, have been married since 2013.

abcnews.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/2041119477413073254

 

[Ontario Mom]

“I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him. Our marriage has had a lot of ups and downs, we’ve been through our struggles, we’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything. He is nothing if not completely honest with me. 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,” she said.

Melissa Gilbert Holds Back Tears While Defending Husband Timothy Busfield Against Child Sex Abuse Charges: ‘I Trust Him With My Children’s Lives’

Melissa Gilbert has defended her husband Timothy Busfield against the child sex abuse charges he is facing.

variety.com

Melissa Gilbert speaks out on charges against Timothy Busfield: ‘100% confident he will be exonerated’

Gilbert and Busfield, both actors, have been married since 2013.

abcnews.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/2041119477413073254

For all those wives (and husbands) that ever said those exact words before they discovered the affair, this sounds so painful to read. I think she actually believes it, too.

jmo

 

[iamshadow21]

For all those wives (and husbands) that ever said those exact words before they discovered the affair, this sounds so painful to read. I think she actually believes it, too.

jmo

The fact of the matter is, a lot of the paederasts who marry deliberately choose as a spouse a person they can manipulate easily and who has a high degree of denialism of negative things built into their psyche already. A person who is already inclined to ignore or tidy away anything that might suggest that their marriage and the person they married is not who they pretend to be.

When they choose a 'good vibes only' person who deliberately doesn't think about uncomfortable things as a partner, much of their spade work is already done at creating an aura of harmlessness around themselves.

Some spouses do the hard work of confronting that ugly truth when their partners are exposed as predators, but many choose to double down on their illusions.

MOO

 

[mickey2942]

The fact of the matter is, a lot of the paederasts who marry deliberately choose as a spouse a person they can manipulate easily and who has a high degree of denialism of negative things built into their psyche already. A person who is already inclined to ignore or tidy away anything that might suggest that their marriage and the person they married is not who they pretend to be.

When they choose a 'good vibes only' person who deliberately doesn't think about uncomfortable things as a partner, much of their spade work is already done at creating an aura of harmlessness around themselves.

Some spouses do the hard work of confronting that ugly truth when their partners are exposed as predators, but many choose to double down on their illusions.

MOO

So insightful. And explains a lot of what I have seen in marriages that it seems like the wives have "blinders" on, and don't hear, see, or even acknowledge what is happening, often times, right in front of them.

It is like, how could you NOT see this?! Or hear it?

So, it is some sort of "negativity blindness"? Blocks anything negative? Interesting.

 

[iamshadow21]

So insightful. And explains a lot of what I have seen in marriages that it seems like the wives have "blinders" on, and don't hear, see, or even acknowledge what is happening, often times, right in front of them.

It is like, how could you NOT see this?! Or hear it?

So, it is some sort of "negativity blindness"? Blocks anything negative? Interesting.

Don't get me wrong, I can't quote studies in journals or anything, but that's been my personal observation throughout my life of people close to myself who have had a partner who has been discovered to be this kind of predator.

A spouse who is deliberately enabling or personally involved with abuse is a different thing again. But the former, who is just not seeing things they don't want to because of how they handle stress or discomfort with denial still has work to do on themselves, even if they're not actively abusive or had no hard knowledge of abuse happening.

MOO

 

[tlcya]

Great explanations of the psychology behind the denials of women who's spouses have been accused of the unthinkable. Or, she believes he is innocent because he in fact is.

I find the most recent alleged victims in this case less than credible, particularly because of the prior behaviors of their parents. May be an unpopular stance but I feel those children were coerced by the adults involved.

 

[Bigditch]

Great explanations of the psychology behind the denials of women who's spouses have been accused of the unthinkable. Or, she believes he is innocent because he in fact is.

I find the most recent alleged victims in this case less than credible, particularly because of the prior behaviors of their parents. May be an unpopular stance but I feel those children were coerced by the adults involved.

Yes I agree. Is there any other individuals tied to the case besides the 2 child actors?

 

[tlcya]

Yes I agree. Is there any other individuals tied to the case besides the 2 child actors?

previous allegations from prior decades consisted of:

1994 sexual assault allegation
In 1994, a 17-year-old female extra accused Busfield of sexual assault during the filming of Little Big League in 1993, when she was 16. She said, "I was 17 at the time, my friend was 18. It was just really strange saying things and way too interested in talking to a 17-year-old. At some point, I did try to leave, and he pinned me against the refrigerator in the trailer, with his foot in my crotch."[21] Busfield denied the allegations and filed a countersuit against the girl's lawyers, accusing them of defamation. The actor eventually settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.

2012 sexual assault allegation
In 2012, a 28-year-old woman accused Busfield of groping her while the two were on a date, attending a film at a Los Angeles-area movie theater, but the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office declined to file charges against him, citing insufficient evidence.[23][24][25] Busfield said "the contact was consensual."[26]
Timothy Busfield - Wikipedia

one of which he settled (1994) and the other (2012) one was investigated and the DA determined there was not sufficient credible evidence to proceed with any charges. Both victims in those instances were females (post pubescent)

 

[Bigditch]

previous allegations from prior decades consisted of:

1994 sexual assault allegation
In 1994, a 17-year-old female extra accused Busfield of sexual assault during the filming of Little Big League in 1993, when she was 16. She said, "I was 17 at the time, my friend was 18. It was just really strange saying things and way too interested in talking to a 17-year-old. At some point, I did try to leave, and he pinned me against the refrigerator in the trailer, with his foot in my crotch."[21] Busfield denied the allegations and filed a countersuit against the girl's lawyers, accusing them of defamation. The actor eventually settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.

2012 sexual assault allegation
In 2012, a 28-year-old woman accused Busfield of groping her while the two were on a date, attending a film at a Los Angeles-area movie theater, but the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office declined to file charges against him, citing insufficient evidence.[23][24][25] Busfield said "the contact was consensual."[26]
Timothy Busfield - Wikipedia

one of which he settled (1994) and the other (2012) one was investigated and the DA determined there was not sufficient credible evidence to proceed with any charges. Both victims in those instances were females (post pubescent)

Are those victims stepping forward now as well, or did they sign NDAs?

The second incident appears to have happened a year prior to Busfield's marriage to Melissa.

 

[tlcya]

Are those victims stepping forward now as well, or did they sign NDAs?

The second incident appears to have happened a year prior to Busfield's marriage to Melissa.

I am assuming as part of the settlement the 1994 alleged victim signed an NDA. I haven't seen where the alleged 2014 date grope victim has spoken out either.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Great explanations of the psychology behind the denials of women who's spouses have been accused of the unthinkable. Or, she believes he is innocent because he in fact is.

I find the most recent alleged victims in this case less than credible, particularly because of the prior behaviors of their parents. May be an unpopular stance but I feel those children were coerced by the adults involved.

I agree that that latest two alleged victims do seem like they were coerced.

jmo

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Melissa Gilbert says she trusts Timothy Busfield 'with my children's lives' amid child sexual abuse charges

Gilbert called her husband 'an honorable, caring, generous human being' in an interview on "Good Morning America."

www.nbcnews.com

Melissa Gilbert, who is married to actor Timothy Busfield, spoke out for the first time since Busfield was charged with child sexual abuse, saying that she trusts her husband with the lives of her own kids.

In an interview on "Good Morning America" on Monday, Gilbert said that she had no moments of doubt in Busfield, who is facing accusations of touching children inappropriately.

"I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him," said Gilbert, a star of the "Little House on the Prairie" TV series and former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

"Our marriage has, you know, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs. We’ve been through struggles," she said. "We’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything."...

 

[mickey2942]

Melissa Gilbert says she trusts Timothy Busfield 'with my children's lives' amid child sexual abuse charges

Gilbert called her husband 'an honorable, caring, generous human being' in an interview on "Good Morning America."

www.nbcnews.com

Melissa Gilbert, who is married to actor Timothy Busfield, spoke out for the first time since Busfield was charged with child sexual abuse, saying that she trusts her husband with the lives of her own kids.

In an interview on "Good Morning America" on Monday, Gilbert said that she had no moments of doubt in Busfield, who is facing accusations of touching children inappropriately.

"I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him," said Gilbert, a star of the "Little House on the Prairie" TV series and former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

"Our marriage has, you know, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs. We’ve been through struggles," she said. "We’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything."...

Does anyone "know" everything about their spouse? Her support is no doubt heartfelt.

Innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

I don't know. Let's hope that this goes through the process, and we will see what happens. If these parents were in for a "money" grab, I don't see them going all the way with a court case.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him," said Gilbert,

No one knows literally everything about anyone, and no one can know for sure that their loved-one wouldn't do something unexpected...

these parents were in for a "money" grab, I don't see them going all the way with a court case.

It's possible they are hoping for settlement to make the allegations go away. However I will say if he would consider tickling children as a possible thing to do, that is weird to me, especially since he has faced allegations in the past, and anyone with any awareness would know that 1) Some people are uncomfortable with tickling, or even hate it, but don't feel like they can speak up 2) any kind of touching at all would be best avoided to prevent more allegations.

So at the very least, I think he's someone with poor boundaries who refuses to change. My opinion only.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Actor Timothy Busfield told detective allegations of child sex abuse were 'disgusting,' audio shows

Busfield denied the allegations in a phone call with a detective in Albuquerque in November.

www.nbcnews.com

Authorities in New Mexico released audio of actor Timothy Busfield telling a detective that he never did anything sexual with two young boys on the set of a show he directed and calling the allegations “disgusting.”

The audio, obtained by NBC affiliate KOB of Albuquerque, is from a phone call in November between Busfield and a detective in Albuquerque who said he was investigating a report from a child about something that was alleged to have happened on the set of “The Cleaning Lady.”

A grand jury in Bernalillo County indicted Busfield, 68, in February on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. According to the indictment, the contact is alleged to have occurred on multiple occasions from 2022 to 2024...