Melissa Gilbert Feels She’s Living a ‘Nightmare’ as Timothy Busfield Remains in Jail amid Child Abuse Charges: Source

Melissa Gilbert says the last several days have felt like a “nightmare” as her husband, Timothy Busfield, remains in custody in New Mexico following child *** abuse allegations.

A person familiar with the situation said Gilbert, 61, is deeply worried about Busfield, 68, who is being held in a New Mexico detention facility after being charged with two counts of criminal ***** contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.

“The past week has been a nightmare for Melissa,” the person said. “She’s very concerned about Tim in jail. She wants him out so he’s safe. The detention facility where he’s being held has safety issue complaints. Her focus is to try and get him out this week.”

The person added that Gilbert, who married Busfield in 2013, plans to be in New Mexico this week.

Busfield surrendered to authorities and was officially charged on Tuesday, Jan. 13, after the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest four days earlier. The warrant alleged that he engaged in unlawful ******* conduct with 11-year-old twin boys, who were child actors and met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director.

On Wednesday, Jan. 14, Busfield made his first court appearance before a judge. The next day, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman held a press conference and said the case has been transferred to District Court. Busfield has a pretrial detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20.

At that hearing, a judge will decide whether to grant the prosecution’s request that Busfield remain in custody until trial or whether he can be released, with or without conditions. New Mexico has eliminated monetary bail. He is expected to be formally charged and arraigned after the detention hearing.

Bregman also said Busfield could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the three charges.

The pretrial detention motion also included an unrelated additional allegation involving Colin Swift, who reported to law enforcement on Jan. 13 that Busfield allegedly ****** abused Swift’s daughter “several years ago” in Sacramento, Calif., when she was auditioning for him at B Street Theatre.

Busfield has denied all child *** abuse allegations.

In a video obtained by TMZ, recorded moments before he turned himself in, Busfield said he plans to “confront these lies” and “fight.”

His civil attorney, Larry Stein, also denied the allegations. In a statement on Jan. 13, Stein said Busfield was “absolutely shocked” by what he called the “false” claims.

“He’s devastated and will defend himself, because these are absolutely false allegations,” Stein said.

Gilbert—who is listed as a potential witness in the case—submitted a letter to the judge in support of her husband. The letter was included in Busfield’s filing opposing the state’s motion for pretrial detention, submitted on Friday, Jan. 16.

In the letter, Gilbert wrote in part, “the reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life. He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humor and quick wit bring sparkle to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family.”

“I can tell you, and anyone, that I know Tim better and more intimately than anything in his life ever has. Conversely, he knows me in the same way,” she continued. “Tim has the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known. He has dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others. He starts every day with kindness and compassion.”

Gilbert also wrote that, on “every single set where Tim is working,” she has been approached by “multiple people” who tell her he is “their favorite director ever.” She added that “one of the great joys of my life” has been watching Busfield bond with her youngest son, Michael.

“I am trying to tow a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me,” she wrote. “I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over. I can’t help it. I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole.”

She ended by asking the judge to keep him protected while in custody: “So, I will close by asking you to please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now… I am relying on your to protect him for me.”

In a previous statement issued on her behalf on Jan. 13, Gilbert’s representative, Ame Van Iden, said the actress will not “speak publicly while the legal process unfolds.”

“During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment,” the statement said. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”