Actress Melissa Gilbert has abruptly cancelled a scheduled question-and-answer session with fans of her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, as her husband faces serious criminal charges. The event was called off just hours before it was due to begin on Friday afternoon.
Brand Distances Itself from Founder's Husband
The 61-year-old Little House on the Prairie star has maintained an extremely low profile since an arrest warrant was issued for her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield, on January 9. Busfield, 68, faces two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor, relating to alleged incidents with two now 11-year-old twin boys between 2022 and 2024.
In response to the scandal, Modern Prairie was forced to release a public statement. The company asserted that the allegations against Busfield "do not involve Modern Prairie, our operations, nor our community". It added that the business was respecting the family's privacy while condemning abuse "in all forms".
A Timeline of Silence and Backlash
Gilbert's retreat from public view began swiftly after the warrant was issued. She deleted her personal Instagram account less than 24 hours later and did not appear for Busfield's first court hearing on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him held without bond.
Her brand, however, faced significant criticism for a "tone-deaf" social media post. Days after the allegations surfaced, Modern Prairie shared a video tour of Gilbert's well-stocked refrigerator, promoting "the building blocks of magical meals". Followers reacted with anger, suggesting the company should focus on the serious situation rather than domestic marketing.
One commenter, Allison C., accused the brand of sanitising its page, stating: "I think right now you're getting asked more than anything why your founder is married to a pedophile."
Legal Proceedings and a Dramatic Raid
Busfield turned himself in to authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on January 13, after driving approximately 2,000 miles from the couple's home in New York's Catskill Mountains. In a brief statement captured by TMZ, he called the allegations "horrible" and "all lies", vowing to fight the charges.
In a dramatic twist, minutes after he surrendered, a US Marshals Fugitive Task Force raided the couple's secluded Highland Lake home. Officers smashed open the front door with a battering ram and searched the property, apparently unaware Busfield was already in custody.
The arrest warrant details that the investigation began in early November 2024 after a doctor reported suspected abuse. The twin boys, who met Busfield on the Albuquerque set of The Cleaning Lady where he directed episodes, allegedly disclosed inappropriate contact to their parents. The warrant also references previous, unprosecuted sexual assault allegations against Busfield from the 1990s.
Gilbert's representative has stated she "is honoring the request of his lawyers not to speak publicly" and that her focus is on supporting their family. The future of her involvement with Modern Prairie remains uncertain as the legal case unfolds.
