Melissa Gilbert is receiving love from fans as she weathers a very difficult personal situation. In January 2026, the “Little House on the Prairie” and “When Calls the Heart” alum received supportive messages from fans amid reports that an arrest warrant had been issued for her husband, Emmy Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield, in New Mexico. Busfield, 68, is best known for his work on “thirtysomething,” “The West Wing,” and “Field of Dreams.”
On Jan. 10, local news station KOAT reviewed the related court documents and reported that Busfield is being investigated amid allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor when he was a director for the Fox TV series “The Cleaning Lady.”
Busfield has not been arrested or charged with any crime and has not issued a statement. Gilbert has also not addressed the allegations against her husband.
Gilbert and Busfield have been married since 2013.
Fans Shared Messages of Support for Melissa Gilbert
Gilbert has legions of fans dating back to her days as a child star playing Laura Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie.” Her most recent acting credit was for Hallmark’s “When Calls the Heart,” where she played Georgie McGill in two episodes during Season 12 in 2025, per IMDB.
Fans posted to Gilbert’s Instagram page to send prayers and show her support during this difficult time in her personal life.
“Sending light and love!“ one fan wrote on her personal Instagram page.
“My heart is sorrowful and sad for you. I hope and pray you can overcome this. Stay strong,” another wrote.
“Standing beside you with support and love. ❤️,” a third fan added.
“Praying for all of you during this difficult time,” another fan wrote to Gilbert.
In a Reddit thread, fans noted that Gilbert has a strong network of friends and fans all over the world.
“At least we know Melissa will have a network of support around her with Alison Arngrim and other ‘Little House’ cast mates!” one Reddit user wrote.
Other fans urged Gilbert to turn off the comments on her social media. She has since deactivated her personal Instagram account, although her Official Modern Prairie account remains active.
Melissa Gilbert Has Been Happily Married to Timothy Busfield for 12 Years
GettyGilbert often shares photos from her happy home life with Busfield. After marrying in 2013, the celebrity couple left the hustle and bustle of city life to live a more modest lifestyle in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York.
Gilbert told People magazine that it was love at first sight for her and Busfield. “It sounds cliché to say it, but it really was like getting hit with a thunderbolt,” she shared in a 2024 interview. “It just seemed right and inevitable… The next morning when I woke up, my first thought was, ‘I’m going to marry him.”
Gilbert and Busfield exchanged vows on April 24, 2013, in a private ceremony held at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California.
In April 2025, Gilbert shared a tribute to her husband on her Instagram page as she looked back on “12 years of true partnership, love, laughter, compassion, commitment, passion, laughter, cooking, kids, grandchildren, chickens, dogs, creating homes, films, plays, television…adventure, comfort, care and synergy.”
“12 perfect years with my favorite person, who has my favorite face and my favorite soul,” she wrote at the time. “How lucky I am.”
Gilkbert’s most recent post featuring Busfield was for New Year’s Eve 2026 after they attended a show together in Manhattan.
The victim blaming hidden in the “outpouring of support” is disgusting
Sometimes we think we know some one so well. But innocent til proven other wise. Keep the faith