Authorities in New Mexico issued an arrest warrant for director and Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield on Friday, charged with child sexual abuse.
An investigator from the Albuquerque Police Department submitted a criminal complaint stating that a child reported Busfield for inappropriate touching during the filming of the TV series 'The Cleaning Lady,' which he directed and acted in.
The allegations detail that the incidents occurred when the child was 7 and 8 years old, where Busfield reportedly touched him three to four times on one occasion and five to six times on another.
The child’s mother informed Child Protective Services that the suspected abuse took place between November 2022 and spring 2024. According to the complaint, the child has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, suffering from nightmares related to the experiences with Busfield.
The fear of retaliation from Busfield, due to his position as director, reportedly deterred the child from disclosing the incidents to others. The arrest warrant, sanctioned by a judge, includes two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor.
The investigation commenced in November 2024, prompted by a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital, where the child's parents had sought help.
'The Cleaning Lady' aired on Fox for four seasons, concluding in 2025, and followed a Cambodian doctor who becomes intertwined with organized crime after witnessing a mob killing. Despite conducting its internal inquiry, Warner Bros. was unable to substantiate the allegations against Busfield.
Busfield, who has made notable appearances in 'The West Wing,' 'Field of Dreams,' and 'Thirtysomething'—for which he won an Emmy in 1991—is married to fellow actor Melissa Gilbert. Messages seeking comments from his representatives went unanswered.
