Melissa Gilbert is ready to discuss her husband Timothy Busfield's child sex abuse charges.
Since the West Wing alum's arrest in January, the Little House on the Prairie alum has appeared to stand by her husband, including in court, after he was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
Now, in her first major interview amid the embattled actor's ongoing legal trouble, she maintained "it's time" to speak out amid a "traumatic" time.
© Getty ImagesSpeaking with George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America, Melissa, 61, speaking alongside her lawyer Larry Stein, said on why she decided to speak out now: "It's time. We've been hearing and reading too much untruth and we felt that the time was right to speak out," noting: "I wasn't capable until now, it was too traumatic."
With her attorney doing most of the talking initially, he maintained the two boys accusing Timothy of inappropriate touching denied so at first, also refuting claims Melissa had a relationship with them, noting she gave every child working on set gifts, not just the two alleged victims.
Both maintained that the boys' parents are "making this all up," emphasizing "absolutely" when George suggested they contended as much. "They are victims of their parents, not Tim," Stein maintained, accusing the boys' parents of making the accusations for financial gain, as they allegedly blame Tim for their sons' supposed firing.
© Getty ImagesGeorge also brought forward Timothy's previous allegations of sexual assault, from 2012, with Melissa sharing that she discussed them at length with him when they first "got together," and that though now is not the time, Tim will eventually address the "truth" behind all of them.
"Hell," Melissa said describing the recent months. "This has been the most traumatizing experience of our lives. Our life as we knew it is done. We are grieving what we had. All of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, for Tim he'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. And believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he'd have a lot more to worry about than prison."
"No moments of doubt?" George asked, to which Melissa declared: "Not for a second. I know this man in my bones, no one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him. Our marriage has, you know, we've had our ups and downs, we've been through 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, with my grandchildren's lives, my nieces and nephews. He is an honorable, caring, generous human being."
This isn't the first time Melissa expresses support for her husband, first breaking her silence in an Instagram post via her company Modern Prairie in late January, writing: "I'm sending you all my love and gratitude during this extraordinarily difficult time," adding: "Not only for Tim, me and our family, but in the collective heaviness so many of us seem to be carrying right now. Add an unexpected storm to the mix, and it can all feel like a bit too much."
"This season has reminded me, very clearly, how important it is to slow down, prioritize what truly matters, and allow ourselves moments of rest," she continued. "Stepping back from the noise, the news, and even our daily responsibilities from time to time gives us space to recharge, reflect, and find our center again."
© Getty Images"Thank you, truly, for the love, patience, and support you continue to show Tim and me. Thank you for helping me to feel safer, more grounded, and deeply held by this extraordinary community of women here at Modern Prairie," she added, noting she would be "easing back into things thoughtfully and with care — moving forward one step at a time."
© Getty ImagesOn January 13, Timothy, who Melissa married in 2013, turned himself in to authorities, after the Albuquerque Police Department issued an arrest warrant on January 9, alleging he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two 11-year-old boys. The boys' identities were withheld from the public, however, per the arrest warrant, the victims' parents said the minors were child actors who met Timothy on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director.
Though prosecutors had initially requested that Timothy remain in custody, he was released from jail on January 20 while he awaits trial on the charges. He previously maintained his innocence before turning himself in, in a video obtained by TMZ, in which he claimed: "They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it. I'm gonna fight it with a great team, and I'm gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies."
