Melissa Gilbert Deletes Instagram Amid Husband’s Child Sex Abuse Allegations
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Actress Melissa Gilbert has deactivated her Instagram account following the issuance of an arrest warrant against her husband, Timothy Busfield, who faces allegations of unlawful sexual conduct with two boys.
As of Sunday, Jan. 11, Gilbert’s Instagram page is no longer accessible, with prior posts showing error messages. Users attempting to view the account see a notice stating: “Profile isn’t available. The link may be broken, or the profile may have been removed.”
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Gilbert, 61, reportedly removed her page after the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued the arrest warrant against Busfield, 68. According to the warrant obtained by PEOPLE, Officer Marvin Brown alleged that 11-year-old twins, whose identities have been withheld, were subjected to sexual abuse by Busfield, with one child claiming the abuse began at age 7.
The investigation began in November 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported suspected sexual abuse to authorities. The twins’ parents, who said their children were child actors on the FOX series The Cleaning Lady—directed by Busfield—told police the boys were allegedly groomed. Initially, authorities determined the case did not meet criteria for action.
In October 2025, the victims’ mother filed a police report and informed Child Protective Services that her children disclosed abuse by Busfield from November 2022 to Spring 2024. She was reportedly told that without evidence of physical abuse, authorities could not act.
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During the investigation, Busfield allegedly claimed the parents were upset because their sons had been replaced by a younger actor on the show, according to the warrant. Warner Bros. later contacted him regarding the complaint.
Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013 after reconnecting years earlier. Weeks before the arrest warrant, Gilbert had posted on social media about child sex abuse, reflecting on her own experiences while filming Little House on the Prairie, though she did not allege any wrongdoing by others on set.
Representatives for Gilbert and Busfield have not responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
