Melissa Gilbert, famed for her role in “Little House on the Prairie,” was seen in tears during a court hearing in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, concerning her husband, Timothy Busfield’s, pretrial detention.

Timothy Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor, has been released from a New Mexico jail as he awaits trial on serious charges of child sex abuse. The allegations claim Busfield improperly touched two 11-year-old twin boys while he was directing episodes of the television series “The Cleaning Lady.”

Upon joining the show as both an actor and director, Busfield reportedly encouraged the young boys to refer to him as “Uncle Tim.” The accusations suggest that the inappropriate behavior occurred multiple times, with the boys’ parents alleging that Busfield disguised the inappropriate contact as mere “play.”

One of the boys, identified as “SL,” alleged that Busfield touched his private areas over his clothing. His parents reported that SL has been experiencing frequent nightmares and has been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which they attribute to Busfield’s actions.

It has also been reported that one of the boys began to withdraw from the set, expressing reluctance to return. Initially, the young actors involved in “The Cleaning Lady” gave different accounts when first interviewed by investigators, but they have since accused Timothy Busfield of inappropriate touching.

Asked directly and specifically if they knew about private areas on their body that no one can touch, and both boys say “yes.” When asked if Timothy Busfield ever touches their “privates,” both boys answer “no.”

Lawyers for Busfield say he passed an independent polygraph and is innocent of all charges.

Joining Nancy Grace:

Additional Guest

• Chris Melcher – Celebrity Lawyer and Partner at Walzer Melcher & Yoda with Deep Experience in Complex Family Law Litigation

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts

[Feature Photo: FILE – In this Dec. 11, 2010 file photo, actor Bruce Boxleitner, right, and actress Melissa Gilbert arrive at the premiere of the feature film “Tron: Legacy” in Los Angeles. Court records show Gilbert, the former “Little House on the Prairie” star, filed for divorce on Monday in Los Angeles and seeks to end her marriage to the TV actor after 16 years. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, file)]