Melissa Gilbert faces dark days as Timothy Busfield remains in prison

Melissa Gilbert is going through a period of intense emotion due to serious criminal allegations against her husband, Timothy Busfieldput their families under immense pressure.

The actress has been embroiled in a fast-paced legal proceeding unfolding in New Mexico, marked by detention hearings, court filings and public attention.

While Busfield remains behind bars awaiting key court decisions, Gilbert has focused on his safety, formally supporting him in court while keeping her public silence intact.

Gilbert is reportedly “very concerned about Tim in jail” as Busfield remains detained at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to a source who spoke to PEOPLE.

The source said Gilbert “wants him out so he can be safe,” citing concerns about the facility, which has reportedly “received complaints about security issues.”

Busfield was arrested Jan. 13 in connection with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.

The source told the publication that Gilbert has been focused on freeing Busfield and plans to travel to New Mexico as his court case moves forward.

“The last week has been a nightmare for Melissa,” the source said, describing the actress’ emotional toll.

The urgency surrounding Timothy Busfield’s case has intensified ahead of a pretrial detention hearing, during which a judge was expected to decide whether he would remain in custody.

The judge was also expected to rule on what conditions Busfield would have to accept if offered possible release before trial.

Following this process, the charges against Busfield are expected to be officially announced, after which the actor would be arraigned on all three counts.

Bernalillo County Prosecutor Sam Bregman later said Busfield could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

As court proceedings continued, Melissa Gilbert filed a letter to the court Friday in support of her husband.

In the filing, she described Busfield as central to her life and family.

“The reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and in life,” she wrote. “He is my comfort and my counsel. His joy, humor and liveliness bring brightness to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family.”

The 61-year-old told the judge: “I can tell you and anyone that I know Tim better and more intimately than anything in his life. Conversely, he knows me the same way.”

Gilbert went on to describe the actor as having “the strongest moral compass of any human being I have ever known”, adding that he “dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others” and “starts each day with kindness and compassion”.

In the same letter, Gilbert acknowledged her internal struggle as she attempted to balance reason and emotion.

“I try to draw a line between logic and all the feelings swirling inside me,” she wrote. “I started this letter with logic, but now feelings have taken over. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

She closed the letter with a direct appeal for the safety of Timothy Busfield while he is in custody.

“I just want this extraordinary man to be safe and sound,” the actress said. “So, I will end by asking you to please, please take care of my sweet husband.”