Melissa Gilbert Stands by Timothy Busfield Amidst Child Abuse Charges

NEED TO KNOW Melissa Gilbert appeared in court on Jan. 20 to support her husband, Timothy Busfield Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse He first appeared in court in New Mexico on Jan. 14 where he was told he'd remain in custody until the Jan. 20 pretrial detention Melissa Gilbert is continuing to support Timothy Busfield. The Little House on the Prairie alum, 61, attended her husband's pretrial detention hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 20 in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, as Busfield, 68, faces child sex abuse charges. She was joined by several loved ones, who greeted her with hugs as they sat down to await Busfield's arrival in the courtroom, including her 89-year-old mom Barbara Cowan and her son, Michael Boxleitner. Busfield's brother, Buck Busfield, was also in attendance for the hearing. On Tuesday, Busfield returned to court for the second time. His first appearance occurred on Jan. 14 where he was told he would remain in custody without bond until the Jan. 20 hearing. His appearance comes as The West Wing actor was officially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse, per prosecutors, after he surrendered to authorities on Jan. 13. Gilbert previously voiced her support of her husband in a letter to the judge in his case. In the defendant's response in opposition to the state's motion for pretrial detention filed on Jan. 16, Gilbert was one of 75 people who wrote letters of support. She called Busfield "my love, my rock, my partner in business and life," adding that she knows him "better and more intimately than anything in his life ever has." "I am trying to tow a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me. I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over. I can't help it," she wrote. "I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole. 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 and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart, I am relying on your to protect him for me." After the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest on Jan. 9 and alleged that the actor engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, Busfield surrendered to police on Jan. 13. On the day Busfield turned himself in on Jan. 13, Gilbert's representative Ame Van Iden, issued a statement on her behalf noting that Gilbert 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. Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.” In the Jan. 9 warrant, the police alleged that the West Wing star engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, 11-year-old twins, whose identities were withheld from the public. Before turning himself in, he said in a video obtained by TMZ that he "did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it." In a pretrial detention motion filed on Jan. 14 and obtained by PEOPLE, another accusation of sexual abuse was leveled against him. Colin Swift reported to law enforcement on Jan. 13 that Busfield allegedly sexually abused Swift's daughter "several years ago" in Sacramento, Calif. Busfield's civil attorney Larry Stein shared a statement with PEOPLE that the allegations "were never challenged, they were never proved, and they’re 25 years old." 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.