This post contains discussion of child sexual abuse.
Melissa Gilbert is addressing husband Timothy Busfield's recent child sex abuse charges.
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Earlier this year, the actor turned himself in to police after authorities in New Mexico charged him with allegedly sexually abusing two boys while filming the Fox TV show The Cleaning Lady, according to BBC. "The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails," his lawyer Stanton "Larry" Stein said following Timothy's first court appearance in January.
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In a new interview with Good Morning America, Melissa directly addressed the allegations against her husband, as well as the perceived effects they've had on the couple's personal and professional lives.
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During the interview, Melissa claimed that her husband is innocent and defended his history of personal conduct. “I know this man in my bones," she said. "No one knows him better than I do. I know literally everything about him. Our marriage has had a lot of ups and downs, we’ve been through our struggles, we’ve had our own issues to deal with, and we’ve worked through everything."
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"He is nothing if not completely honest with me. I trust him with my children’s lives, I trust him with my grandchildren’s lives, my nieces and nephews. He is an honorable, caring, generous human being," she added.
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Melissa detailed how the charges have affected the couple's lives. “Our life as we knew it is done. We are grieving what we had. All of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects,” she said. “For Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled...even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. The last person in the world who would hurt a child.”
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“Believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he’d have a lot more to worry about than prison."
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453(4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.