Melissa Gilbert Deletes Instagram Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations Against Husband Timothy Busfield

Melissa Gilbert has deleted her Instagram account as serious child sex abuse allegations emerge against her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield.

As of Sunday, Jan. 11, Gilbert’s Instagram page was no longer accessible. Users who attempted to view her profile were met with an error message stating that the account was unavailable or had been removed. The actress, best known for her role on Little House on the Prairie, has not publicly commented on the decision.

Gilbert, 61, removed her social media presence shortly after the Albuquerque Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Busfield, 68. According to the warrant, Busfield is accused of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct involving 11-year-old twin boys. One of the minors allegedly told authorities that the abuse began when he was seven years old.

The warrant states that the investigation began in November 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted police to possible sexual abuse. The boys’ parents later told investigators that their children were child actors who met Busfield while working on the FOX television series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield served as a director from January 2022 through June 2025.

According to the warrant, medical professionals suggested the boys may have been groomed. However, at the time, the case reportedly did not meet the criteria required for further action by authorities.

In October 2025, the children’s mother filed a police report and contacted Child Protective Services, stating that both children disclosed sexual abuse by Busfield between November 2022 and spring 2024. She was allegedly told that because there was no physical injury, no action could be taken.

Busfield, who is also known for his role as Danny Concannon on The West Wing, reportedly told police that the parents were upset because their sons had been replaced by a younger actor. Shortly afterward, he was contacted by Warner Bros. and informed that a complaint against him was under investigation.

Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013, a year after reconnecting. In the months before the arrest warrant was issued, Gilbert had publicly spoken about the issue of child sex abuse. In November, she shared a reflective post about her experiences as a child actor on Little House on the Prairie, following public comments made by Megyn Kelly about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gilbert did not accuse anyone involved with the show of wrongdoing.

Just last April, Gilbert marked her 12th wedding anniversary with a loving tribute to Busfield on Instagram. “How lucky I am,” she wrote at the time, calling him her “favorite person” with her “favorite soul.”

Neither Gilbert nor Busfield has released a public statement addressing the allegations as the investigation continues.