Melissa Gilbert is leaving behind her longtime New York City apartment while her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, awaits trial on child sex abuse charges.
The “Little House on the Prairie” star revealed Tuesday that she is moving out of the Upper West Side apartment she has called home for the past eight years and relocating full-time to their upstate New York property, which was raided by federal agents earlier this year.
“So long perfect little one bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side. The last eight years here have been so special,” Gilbert, 62, posted on Instagram.
“A lot of amazing work was done in and around this city. So many theaters and soundstages. So many wonderful dinners with friends and nights out on the town.”
The actress also reflected on what she’ll miss most about life on the Upper West Side as she prepares to leave the Manhattan neighborhood behind.
“I’ll miss the walking and our neighborhood, the subway rides, the amazing people I’ve met there and on the streets. This city truly has a pulse,” she wrote.
“You can feel it in your heart. Goodbye favorite newsstand, bodega, dance studio and laundry. Goodbye shoe repair, dry cleaners, nail salon. Goodbye sweet neighbors whom we love so much. And a very fond ‘farewell and see you soon’ to our favorite city in the world.”
Gilbert’s move comes months after Busfield’s January arrest in New Mexico on child abuse and criminal sexual contact charges stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched 7-year-old twin boys while working on Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady” in 2022.
The 69-year-old, who has denied the allegations, was formally charged Feb. 6 with four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child under 13.
Busfield pleaded not guilty on Feb. 21 after waiving his arraignment and appearances at pretrial proceedings. His trial is scheduled to begin in May 2027.
While Gilbert did not explain the reason for the move, she suggested the change comes at a difficult time for her family.
“I promise we will be back, it’s just that right now…..well….you know,” she wrote. “Excited to live in our wonderful home upstate full time for a good long while.”
Heavily armed federal agents raided the couple’s Highland Lake, NY, home shortly after Busfield turned himself in to authorities in Albuquerque in January.
Members of the New York Regional Fugitive Task Force used a battering ram to enter the property before searching the residence and surrounding buildings.
Gilbert has publicly supported her husband throughout the case.
The actress returned to social media in May after largely stepping away from public posting following Busfield’s arrest.
She also revealed during a recent “Good Morning America” interview that she was aware of previous sexual assault allegations against Busfield before they married in 2013.
“I’m neither naive nor am I complicit,” Gilbert told George Stephanopoulos. “I talked to him about it. I asked him questions about it.”
“I heard his side of the story — which nobody has ever heard — which is the truth,” she continued.
“And when the time is right, and that is not now, Tim will tell the truth of all of these past allegations when he needs to.”
