On Tuesday, Busfield surrendered to New Mexico police on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child sexual abuse charges.
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Melissa Gilbert.Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty
Melissa Gilbert‘s lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, is canceling a planned event intended to feature Gilbert amid her husband Timothy Busfield‘s developing child sexual abuse case.
As the co-founder and “brand muse” of the lifestyle company Modern Prairie, Gilbert was engaged to host an “Ask Melissa Anything” virtual Q&A on Friday. But the company issued an update to subscribers via email on Wednesday, per PEOPLE, canceling the event, citing “an unexpected scheduling change.”
The company elaborated further in the email sent to subscribers, noting, “Melissa will not be available, and the event has been canceled. We know many of you were looking forward to gathering together, and we truly appreciate your understanding as we respect Melissa’s need for privacy and space.”
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The email continued, “We’ll share details about a rescheduled date as soon as we’re able. Thank you for continuing to show care, empathy, and support within our community.”
Entertainment Weekly did not immediately hear back from representatives for Gilbert or Modern Prairie.
The day prior, Busfield surrendered to New Mexico authorities, who sought his arrest on a warrant for three child sexual abuse charges. The Thirtysomething and West Wing actor is accused of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys, with whom he starred on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, though his main role on the series was as an executive producer.
Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
The warrant for Busfield’s arrest was issued on Jan. 10, but the allegations stem back to 2022. The mother of the twin actors claimed in the warrant — obtained and reviewed by EW — that her sons were “groomed” by Busfield, who is alleged to have abused them from fall 2022 to spring 2024. One of the twins told a counselor about the alleged abuse in September 2025, the warrant claims, and a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital was the first to request an investigation into the matter in November 2024.
Busfield maintained his innocence in a video released on Tuesday, calling the allegations “all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m going to fight it. I’m going to fight it with a great team, and I’m going to be exonerated.”
Gilbert also opened up about the charges against Busfield for the first time since the warrant was issued on Tuesday. “During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment,” a representative for Gilbert told EW. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”
Gilbert and businesswoman Nicole Haase founded Modern Prairie in 2022. The brand sells clothing, kitchenware, home decor, and gardening goods, as well as publishes a blog and hosts events. Modern Prairie says its mission is “to celebrate women in every season of life.”
The brand released its own statement the same day, alerting its 400K Instagram followers that the brand “is aware of recent media reports regarding serious allegations involving a family member of our brand muse, Melissa Gilbert. These allegations do not involve Modern Prairie, our operations, nor our community.”
The statement continued, “Modern Prairie unequivocally condemns abuse in all forms and remains committed to values of safety, integrity, and respect. While these matters are personal and do not directly involve Melissa or the brand, we are respecting the privacy of the family as they navigate a difficult and personal situation. Our focus remains on supporting our community and continuing our work with care, responsibility, and intention.”
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.
