Melissa Gilbert’s Mom Barbara, 89, Shares Heartfelt Support for Son-in-Law Timothy Busfield in Letter to the Judge

Barbara Cowan at Nikki Haskell’s birthday celebration; Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for "Busfield".
Credit:

ANDREAS BRANCH/Patrick McMullan via Getty; VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Melissa Gilbert’s mother, Barbara Cowan, defended her son-in-law, Timothy Busfield, in a letter to a judge.
• Busfield faces child sex abuse charges.
• “I could not love & respect him more if I had carried him as my own … The world is a better place with Timothy Busfield in it,” Barbara wrote.

Barbara Cowan, the mother of actress Melissa Gilbert, has expressed her support for son-in-law Timothy Busfield as he confronts allegations of child sex abuse. In a letter addressed to a judge, Cowan affirms her belief in Busfield’s character amidst the serious charges he faces.

The 68-year-old Busfield, known for his role in *The West Wing*, was charged on January 13 with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse in New Mexico, after voluntarily surrendering to authorities in Albuquerque.

These allegations relate to incidents that are said to have occurred while Busfield served as a director on *The Cleaning Lady*, involving 11-year-old twin boys. A pretrial motion recently revealed additional, unrelated allegations of sexual abuse against a 16-year-old girl.

In her letter, 89-year-old Barbara Cowan characterized Busfield as a “shining human,” joining numerous friends and family members who have also submitted letters of support to the judge overseeing his case.

Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert at the opening night party for "Medea".

Lars Niki/Getty

In her correspondence, Cowan expressed her deep fondness for Busfield, stating, “I could not love & respect him more if I had carried him as my own.” She further elaborated on his positive influence as a family member: “Tim has taken care of all my previous little ones. They can’t wait for their fun & special times with him. I would trust all with him today.”

The letter also highlights Busfield’s contributions as a community member and his commitment to family, with Cowan stressing that he’s “the man & the strength I look forward to as I enter my nineties.”

On January 20, a pretrial detention hearing is scheduled for Busfield, who has publicly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct. His attorney, Larry Stein, characterized him as “absolutely shocked” by the claims and emphasized that Busfield intends to defend himself vigorously against what he describes as false accusations.

Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield at the "Nymphes D’Or – Golden Nymphs" Award Ceremony.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

As the court proceedings continue, the implications surrounding Busfield’s case remain significant, given the serious nature of the allegations and the impact on his career and relationships.