Melissa Gilbert back on Instagram amid husband Timothy Busfield claims

Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert has returned to Instagram four months after leaving the platform amid her husband Timothy Busfield’s child Sєx abuse charges which he has pled not guilty to. 

Busfield, 68, was indicted by a grand jury on February 6 and accused of touching two children on set of The Cleaning Lady while filming in Albuquerque between November 2022 and spring 2024. 

The children said the abuse initially occurred when they were seven-years-old and Busfield touched them three or four times. Busfield also allegedly touched them five or six times when they were eight. He has vehemently denied all charges.

The Little House On The Prairie star – who married The West Wing actor in 2013 – maintained her husband’s innocence while also revealing that she had known of his past Sєxual ᴀssault allegations before their marriage. 

Gilbert, 61, had originally deleted her Instagram account in January after authorities in New Mexico issued an arrest warrant for Busfield.

On Wednesday, she posted for the first time on her personal account since January 6 as she promoted an Instagram Live for her company Modern Prairie set for Friday.

Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert has returned to Instagram four months after leaving the platform amid her husband Timothy Busfield’s child Sєx abuse charges which he has pled not guilty to

 Busfield, 68, was indicted by a grand jury on February 6 and accused of touching two children on set of The Cleaning Lady while filming in Albuquerque between November 2022 and spring 2024 (he is pictured in January)

It is important to note that she had appeared on Modern Prairie’s social media frequently in recent months despite being absent from her personal page.

Gilbert’s Instagram had been scrutinized for months as on November 15, seven weeks before the charges against her husband, Gilbert reflected on her experience as a child actor on The Little House on the Prairie.

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As a teenager on the drama series, she filmed romantic scenes with a love interest played by Dean Butler, who is nine years older than her. 

‘So, I debated posting this but, I feel compelled to share. After seeing many women’s posts with the hashtags #iwasfifteen #imfifteen #iwasachild, I decided to Google search myself at that age and see what came up. And this is some of what I found,’ Gilbert wrote in the caption of her Instagram post at the time.

‘And now, at this age, at this time, I am actually nauseated. The girl on vacation in Hawaii with her family, is the same girl who was expected to ‘fall in love with’ and kiss a man on film who was several years older than she was,’ she continued, referring to working with Butler, who is now 69.

‘Through the lens of today, this is shocking. I have no words other than to say, “I WAS A CHILD,”’ Gilbert added. 

‘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.’

Gilbert made the post in response to Megyn Kelly downplaying the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein by questioning whether he was really a pedophile.

On Wednesday, she posted for the first time on her personal account since January 6 as she promoted an Instagram Live for her company Modern Prairie set for Friday

The Little House On The Prairie star – who married The West Wing actor in 2013 – maintained her husband’s innocence while also revealing that she had known of his past Sєxual ᴀssault allegations before their marriage (they are seen together in December 2012)

In November Gilbert posted a pH๏τo of herself at age 15 to depict how young she was on the set of Little House on the Prairie. She was expected to film mature, romantic scenes with an actor much older than her, something she has a different outlook on today

Gilbert, pictured as Laura Ingalls at age 15, kissed Dean Butler, 24, as Almanzo Wilder in a scene that aired in 1979

 Last month, Gilbert emotionally defended her husband Busfield after he pled not guilty to child Sєxual abuse charges. 

The actress made a candid appearance during an interview with George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America which aired on Monday, April 6.  

Melissa Gilbert tearfully defends husband Timothy Busfield amid child Sєxual abuse charges

 ‘I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him,’ she expressed.

‘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.’  

Gilbert added that Busfield is ‘completely honest with’ her and she fully trusts him. 

‘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.’

However, the actress then told the GMA host that their ‘life as we knew it is done’ and they ‘are grieving what we had.’ 

She continued, ‘For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled… even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. The last person in the world who would hurt a child.’ 

Last month, Gilbert emotionally defended her husband Busfield after he pled not guilty to child Sєxual abuse charges 

‘I know this man in my bones. No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him,’ she expressed; seen in 2020 in NYC 

 Elsewhere during the interview, Gilbert revealed that she had been ‘aware’ of other past Sєxual ᴀssault allegations against Busfield before their marriage. 

‘I need to make something very abundantly clear,’ she began. 

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‘These allegations have been out in the ether for a very long time. When Tim and I got together, the internet existed.’ 

She further expressed, ‘I didn’t go into my relationship blind. I’m neither naive nor am I complicit,’ before adding that she had a previous discussion about the topic with Busfield. 

The actress shared that she ‘heard his side of the story – which nobody 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 also expressed her full belief that Busfield ‘will be exonerated.’ 

However, the star noted ‘that there is a practical side to this and we have to be prepared for all scenarios.’ 

She continued, ‘For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled… even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. The last person in the world who would hurt a child’; Busfield’s January 13 mugsH๏τ seen above

Elsewhere during the interview, Gilbert revealed that she had been ‘aware’ of other past Sєxual ᴀssault allegations against Busfield before their marriage

She further expressed, ‘I didn’t go into my relationship blind. I’m neither naive nor am I complicit,’ before adding that she had a previous discussion about the topic with Busfield

 The actress was later asked how the allegations against Busfield and the indictment have affected them, causing her to describe it as ‘hell.’ 

‘This has been the most traumatizing experience of our lives.’ 

Back in January, an arrest warrant was issued for Busfield for charges of child abuse and criminal Sєxual contact with a minor. 

He has denied the allegations and previously labeled them as ‘lies’ and vowed to fight the charges in a video to TMZ. 

‘I will confront these lies. I did not do anything to those little boys,’ he told the outlet at the time.

Busfield has been accused of inappropriately touching two young boys in 2022 on set of the crime drama series The Cleaning Lady which he was directing.

He then continued, ‘I was ordered to come to Albuquerque, and well, I’m here now. I got the call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer, and on Saturday I got a car and drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque.’

The star once again called the allegations lies and said, ‘I did not do anything.’

The actress was later asked how the allegations against Busfield and the indictment have affected them, causing her to describe it as ‘hell’

 Following his arrest, he was held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, per documents obtained by the Daily Mail. 

Busfield was released from custody on January 20 – with Gilbert seen weeping in court following the news. 

When the judge ruled that Busfield could be released on his own recognizance, a teary-eyed Gilbert clasped her hands together and whispered, ‘Thank you, God.’

Busfield’s release came with strict conditions: he must attend all court hearings, stay in contact with the court, and is forbidden from contacting the alleged victims or any minors.

Back in January, an arrest warrant was issued for Busfield for charges of child abuse and criminal Sєxual contact with a minor; seen in January in New Mexico

When the judge ruled that Busfield could be released on his own recognizance, a teary-eyed Gilbert clasped her hands together and whispered, ‘Thank you, God’ (seen above)

He is also prohibited from possessing firearms, alcohol, or drugs.

In February, Busfield was indicted on four counts of Sєxual contact with a child by a grand jury.

The case is being prosecuted by the Special Victims Unit of the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, with DA Sam Bregman pledging to ‘do everything possible to protect children and ensure justice for victims.’

According to court documents, one of the alleged victims revealed during therapy that he had been inappropriately touched by Busfield, a statement supported by medical findings. 

During Busfield’s court hearing, ᴀssistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch stated that the evidence against him was ‘strong and specific,’ further adding that witnesses expressed concerns about potential retaliation and professional harm.

According to court documents, one of the alleged victims revealed during therapy that he had been inappropriately touched by Busfield, a statement supported by medical findings; seen in 2020 in NYC 

The defense, however, has contested the allegations, arguing that the children initially denied any inappropriate contact with Busfield during police interviews.

They’ve also suggested that the boys’ parents may have coached them to make incriminating statements after they lost roles on The Cleaning Lady.

Busfield has submitted character references and pᴀssed an independent polygraph test, which, though controversial, may be used in New Mexico courts.

Known for his roles in The West Wing, Field of Dreams, and Thirtysomething, Busfield now faces a legal battle that will determine his future.