Melissa Gilbert has spoken for the first time about her husband Timothy Busfield’s recent arrest on child sexual contact charges. The April 6 episode of “Good Morning America” aired Monday morning, and Gilbert became emotional during a conversation with George Stephanopoulos.
Gilbert, best known as the child star on “Little House on the Prairie,” said she completely believes Busfield is innocent. The latest allegations come when Busfield, known for his work as an actor and for his role on “The West Wing,” was in Albuquerque directing the TV show “Cleaning Women,” when he was accused of inappropriately touching a child actor on set.
Busfield was indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on February 6 on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. Busfield maintains his innocence and remains free pending his next trial.
Gilbert also maintains his innocence.
“I know this person to the bone. No one knows him better than me. I literally know everything about him. Our marriage has had many ups and downs, experienced struggles, and issues that we have had to deal with on our own. “He’s been through it all. He’s not been completely honest with me. I trust him with my children’s lives, my grandchildren’s lives, my nieces and nephews. He’s an honorable, caring, generous human being.”
Ms Gilbert said her life with Mr Busfield, whom she married in 2013, had changed forever because of these allegations.
“Our life as we knew it is over. We are grieving what we had. All our plans, all our dreams, all our ideas, all our projects,” Gilbert said. “It’s over for Tim. He’s been annulled…Even if he’s proven innocent, he’s that guy forever. The last person in the world who would hurt a child. Trust me, if Tim Busfield thought for a second that he hurt a child, he’d have a lot more to worry about than prison.”
Watch the full interview below.
