New Mexico authorities issued an arrest warrant on Friday for Emmy-winning director and actor Timothy Busfield to face a charge of child sexual abuse.
An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department filed a criminal complaint in support of the charge, which states that a minor reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately. The alleged acts occurred on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” a television series that Busfield directed and starred in.
The boy said the first incident occurred when he was 7 years old and that Busfield touched him three or four times. Busfield allegedly touched him five or six times on another occasion when he was 8 years old.
The child’s mother reported to Child Protective Services Infantil that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and the spring of 2024, according to the complaint.
The lawyer and Busfield’s agent did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on Friday evening.
The arrest warrant, which was signed by a judge, states that the charge is for two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor.
According to the complaint, the child, who is only identified by his initials, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented that he had had nightmares in which Busfield touched him and woke up scared.
According to reports, the boy was afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the principal and he was afraid of angering him.
The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University Hospital of New Mexico. The child’s parents had gone there on the recommendation of a law firm, according to the complaint.
“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox and ended in 2025. It starred Elodie Yung as a Cambodian doctor who comes to the United States to receive medical treatment for her son, witnesses a murder at the hands of the mafia, and ends up becoming a cleaner for organized crime.
The program was produced by Warner Bros., which, according to the complaint, conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations, but could not corroborate them.
Busfield is known for his appearances in “The West Wing”, “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething”, the last of which earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1991.
He is married to actress Melissa Gilbert; there was no immediate response to an email sent to his publicist.
