Melissa Gilbert Slammed For 'Embarrassing' Video Amid Timothy Busfield’s Legal Battle

Melissa Gilbert is facing criticism after sharing a video while her husband remains at the center of serious criminal allegations.

Melissa Gilbert is facing criticism online after sharing an upbeat, inspirational video while her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, remains at the center of serious criminal allegations. The former "Little House on the Prairie" star posted a clip of herself singing and dancing to a motivational song on social media, but the timing, coming amid Busfield’s ongoing child sexual abuse case, sparked mixed reactions from viewers. While some supporters praised Melissa Gilbert's positivity, others accused her of being out of touch with the situation surrounding her family.

Melissa Gilbert’s Video Sparks Mixed Reactions Online

Melissa Gilbert shared the video through her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, which typically features homemaking and lifestyle content. In the clip, she sings and dances to Des’ree’s song "You Gotta Be," an uplifting track with lyrics about resilience and strength. However, what appeared intended as an encouraging message quickly drew criticism from some commenters, who questioned the tone given the controversy involving her husband.

“I hope you sing that to yourself because you are delusional,” one person posted. “Stop embarrassing yourself,” another commenter wrote. Similarly, someone else posted, “How embarrassing," as another wrote, “There is none so blind as one who will not see."

“You need not to do this,” another comment read while others urged her to stop entirely, writing, “Please stop.”

Despite the backlash, some supporters defended Melissa Gilbert in the comments. “You are precious! Love that song," someone wrote as another chimed in with, “I absolutely love your positive energy. You are strong, sweet, kind and talented and you love your family… nothing could be better.”

Timothy Busfield Faces Serious Criminal Charges

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Modern Prairie (@officialmodernprairie)

Busfield was indicted by a grand jury on February 6 and is accused of inappropriate contact involving two twin boys on the set of "The Cleaning Lady" while filming in Albuquerque between November 2022 and spring 2024. The alleged victims, identified only as VL and SL in court documents, were minors at the time of the alleged incidents. Busfield has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual contact with a child and has strongly denied the allegations.

A warrant was issued for his arrest last month, after which he turned himself in to the authorities. He was later released from custody, with Melissa Gilbert present in court.

Allegations Detailed In Court Documents

According to a criminal complaint, one of the boys told a forensic child interviewer that Busfield touched his “private areas” on set when he was seven years old. The child alleged the incidents occurred multiple times between filming sessions and continued when he was eight years old.

The boy’s twin brother also told investigators he had been touched by Busfield but did not initially report it because he feared getting into trouble, according to the complaint.

Busfield Denies Allegations, Claims Revenge Motive

Busfield has consistently denied wrongdoing and maintains the accusations are false. His attorneys have argued the claims stem from retaliation by the boys’ parents after the children were removed from the television production.

Before surrendering to authorities, Busfield addressed the allegations in a video shared by TMZ. “I'm going to confront these lies. They're horrible. They're all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm going to fight it,” he insisted.

However, prosecutors have presented a different perspective in court. Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch described the evidence as “strong and specific” during a January 20 hearing. “The boys' allegations are supported by medical findings and by their therapist,” the ADA said. “Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”

She also noted that witnesses expressed concerns about possible retaliation or professional consequences.

Melissa Gilbert Has Stood By Her Husband Throughout Case

Throughout the legal proceedings, Melissa Gilbert has publicly supported Busfield while also returning to work after briefly stepping back to focus on her family. "As many of you know, I stepped away for a little while to focus on my family," Gilbert said at the time. "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."

The actress previously paused activity related to her Modern Prairie brand before resuming content creation in recent weeks, including the video that sparked the latest online reactions.