Melissa Gilbert Sends Emotional Message to Modern Prairie Community After She ‘Stepped Away’ amid Timothy Busfield Charges

NEED TO KNOW

• Melissa Gilbert is back to work with her company Modern Prairie after taking some time away amid her husband Timothy Busfield’s child sex abuse charges

• In a video posted on Monday, Feb. 16, Gilbert said “coming back to work does not change my commitment or my resolve to the journey that lies ahead for my family”

• Busfield was indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico on Feb. 6 on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child

Melissa Gilbert has returned to her company Modern Prairie amid her husband Timothy Busfield‘s ongoing legal battle.

After Busfield, 68, was charged on Jan. 13 with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, Gilbert, 61, took some time away from the lifestyle brand, explaining in a social media post that she’d be easing back into work “thoughtfully and with care.”

She then returned to Modern Prairie’s social media pages on Monday, Feb. 16, 10 days after Busfield was indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child. All counts are third-degree felonies and pertain to events in October 2022 and September 2023.

Gilbert — who married Busfield in 2013 — began her video message to fans by telling them that she “wanted to take a moment to speak to you directly.”

“As many of you know, I stepped away for a little while to focus on my family,” she said. “It was time I needed — time to be present, to tend to what matters most and to gather my strength in a season that has not been easy.”

“Family is everything to me, and during this incredibly difficult time, I leaned into that truth fully,” she continued. “But something else carried me too: You did. This extraordinary community at Modern Prairie, you wrapped me in love. Even when I was quiet, I felt your prayers, I felt your encouragement, I felt your steady presence.”

Gilbert went on to thank the Modern Prairie artisans and team, as well as “the women in this community who show up every single day not just for me but for one another.”

“That is what Modern Prairie is: Women supporting women, not just when it’s easy, and especially when it’s hard,” she said. “Coming back to work does not change my commitment or my resolve to the journey that lies ahead for my family — that remains steadfast, that remains my heart. But it is important for me to step back into this work. It strengthens my mindset, it gives me purpose, it reminds me of who I am beyond hard days.”

Gilbert concluded her message by saying that her “time away” reminded her of “why we built this space in the first place.”

“It’s more than products, it’s more than events, it’s more than a brand — it’s a lifeline, it’s a connection, it’s strength shared across kitchens and living rooms and hospital rooms and long phone calls,” she said. “It’s dignity, it’s compassion, it’s resolve. I am so proud to walk forward with you, so let’s get back at it together.”

The caption of the post explained that as Gilbert “steps back into her role as Chief Creative Officer,” the company’s “purpose remains” focused on “building a lifestyle platform rooted in connection, creativity, dignity, and strength.”

“Modern Prairie has always been about more than one person,” the post continued. “It’s about community. It’s about shared stories. It’s about women supporting women through every season of life. Our work remains the same: to create meaningful products, thoughtful gatherings, and spaces where women feel seen, supported, and inspired. This is what we do. We remain grounded in our mission – together.”

Gilbert previously supported Busfield at his pretrial detention hearing and was one of 75 people who wrote letters of support to the judge.

Busfield’s child sex abuse allegations were first mentioned in a Jan. 9 warrant issued by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). It alleged that Busfield engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two 11-year-old boys, whose identities have been withheld from the public.

The warrant stated that the alleged victims’ parents said that the minors met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director and they were child actors. The television show ran from January 2022 until June 2025.

Busfield spoke out for the first time before he surrendered to police on Jan. 13 in a video obtained by TMZ. “I did not do anything,” he said on camera. “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.”

After Busfield was released from custody on Jan. 20, Busfield’s civil attorney, Stanton “Larry” Stein, told PEOPLE that the “outpouring of support and the number of people who are willing to put themselves on the line for him” were to thank for his release.

“They really put their reputations and livelihood on the line, and it just shows how much they believe in Tim and the support that he’s getting,” Stein said.

Busfield and Gilbert, Stein said, were “still in shock that it happened to them and they’re still distressed, but obviously they’re in a better mood than they were yesterday before he was released.”

In a statement on Feb. 6, Stein said Busfield’s recent indictment “was not unexpected.”

“As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich,” he said. “What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial.”

“The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure,” he continued. “This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law. Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court — where evidence matters — not behind closed doors.”

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Read the original article on People