Actor Timothy Busfield, who is married to Melissa Gilbert, is wanted by police in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Documents obtained by PEOPLE allege s abuse involving two underage boys, and an arrest warrant has been issued.
John Busfield, 68, faces charges including two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse. The alleged victims are 11-year-old twin brothers, and their names are being withheld to protect their privacy. Investigators believe the abuse may have begun when one of the boys was seven years old.
The situation began in November 2024 when a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported possible child abuse to the police. The officer who authorized the search warrant, Marvin Kirk Brown, stated that the children involved were young actors who had met Busfield while he was directing episodes of the FOX show “The Cleaning Lady.”
According to the arrest warrant, Busfield became increasingly friendly with the boys, and their parents reported he asked them to refer to him as “Uncle Tim.” The parents also noted they had previously heard rumors about Busfield acting inappropriately towards women and children.
The initial statements from the boys indicated that Busfield had tickled their stomachs and legs. They didn’t report any inappropriate touching at that time, so no charges were filed. Later, in September 2025, one of the twins told a counselor and his doctor that Busfield had touched him inappropriately. The other twin said he felt uncomfortable with the touching but didn’t say anything at first.
The sworn statement also describes a separate Warner Bros. Television investigation that began in December 2024 after someone anonymously reported that Busfield had kissed a young boy on the face in the hair and makeup trailer. Warner Bros. hired an independent investigator to look into the claim, but they couldn’t find any evidence to support it. Detective Brown noted that Warner Bros. was uncooperative with the police investigation, making it difficult to get information.
Warner Bros. stated that the well-being of everyone working on their sets, particularly child actors, is their main concern. They emphasized that they investigate all reports of wrongdoing carefully and will take action when necessary, and they are fully cooperating with the police.
I was a big fan of “The Cleaning Lady,” which originally aired from January 2022 to June 2025. It’s frustrating that FOX hasn’t said anything about what’s going on with the investigation. I also heard that Elodie Yung, who played the main character, has told the police she wants to stay out of it, which is understandable.
Mr. Busfield’s lawyer hasn’t returned our calls for comment. A judge issued an arrest warrant for him on January 9, 2026.
This situation is very troubling and underscores the need for productions to prioritize the safety and well-being of child actors. Any claims of abuse, particularly those involving children, should be treated with the utmost seriousness and fully investigated. Veteran Hollywood figure Busfield is now facing significant legal challenges.
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2026-01-10 23:23