Federal Authorities Join Search for Actor Timothy Busfield Amid Child Sexual Abuse Allegations
Federal authorities are now involved in the search for actor and director Timothy Busfield, who is facing an arrest warrant related to allegations of child sexual abuse. The U.S. Marshals Service has joined the efforts to locate Busfield, 68, after the Albuquerque Police Department was unable to find him following the issuance of the warrant. The warrant accuses Busfield of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys, whose identities have not been disclosed.
The alleged abuse involving the twin child actors reportedly began when one of them was seven years old. The accusations are tied to Busfield's role as a director on the FOX television series The Cleaning Lady, which aired from January 2022 to June 2025. The investigation was initiated in November 2024 after a physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital raised concerns about possible sexual abuse.
The parents of the twin boys later informed police that hospital professionals had suggested the children might have been groomed. However, the case did not initially meet the criteria for formal action. In October 2025, the children's mother filed a new police report and contacted Child Protective Services, revealing that both children had disclosed sexual abuse by Busfield between November 2022 and spring 2024.
Despite the disclosures, authorities reportedly could not take action because physical abuse had not been identified. During interviews with investigators, Busfield allegedly claimed that the parents were upset because their sons had been replaced on the show by a younger actor. Warner Bros. informed Busfield that they were reviewing a complaint related to the allegations.
Timothy Busfield is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, known for her role in Little House on the Prairie. The couple tied the knot in 2013. Prior to the public disclosure of the arrest warrant, Gilbert shared a social media post reflecting on her own experiences in Hollywood and the issue of child sexual abuse, without mentioning the allegations involving her husband. Busfield has not made any public statements about the case, and the U.S. Marshals Service has not provided further details about the search.
If you suspect or have information about child sexual abuse, you can seek help by contacting the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). The hotline operates 24/7, is confidential, and offers assistance in over 170 languages.