Timothy Busfield charged with child sex abuse tied to New Mexico TV set

Emmy-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield has been charged in New Mexico with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, linked to his work on Fox series The Cleaning Lady in Albuquerque.
The case began after hospital staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital raised grooming concerns about child actors in November 2024, prompting an Albuquerque police investigation.
Court records state child actors later alleged Busfield, known to them as “Uncle Tim,” touched them inappropriately over their clothing while on set, after initially describing uncomfortable tickling.
Busfield reportedly told investigators he did not remember the alleged conduct but added that, “If it happened, I don’t remember… But it wouldn’t be uncommon for me,” and claimed the children’s mother was seeking revenge.
Warner Bros. conducted an internal inquiry and concluded the allegations could not be substantiated, while the affidavit notes prior, uncharged sexual assault allegations against Busfield in 1994 and 2012.
As of Friday evening, court records indicate Busfield has been charged but not yet arrested in connection with the New Mexico case.

January 9, 2026 – Emmy Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield has been charged in New Mexico with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, following allegations that he inappropriately touched child actors on the set of the Fox television series The Cleaning Lady during filming in Albuquerque, according to court records and an affidavit filed in the case.

What charges is Timothy Busfield facing and how did the case arise?

According to reporting by The News International, which cites New Mexico court records, Timothy Busfield has been formally charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The charges are tied to alleged misconduct involving child actors during production of the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady in Albuquerque, where Busfield worked as an actor and director.

The case was set in motion in November 2024, when Albuquerque police responded to the University of New Mexico Hospital after medical staff raised alarms about the behaviour of an adult toward several child performers. Hospital staff, according to the affidavit summarised in that reporting, told officers they were concerned the children appeared to have been “groomed”, prompting a wider inquiry into what had occurred on and around the set.

What do court documents say about the children’s allegations?

The affidavit described that, in their initial interactions with hospital staff, the children did not immediately disclose sexual contact. However, they reportedly recounted that a man they knew as “Uncle Tim” — identified in documents as Timothy Busfield — would tickle them on their stomach and legs even when they felt uncomfortable, behaviour that raised red flags for clinicians.

In subsequent, more detailed interviews with investigators, the children gave a fuller account of events, according to the same court records. They alleged that they had been touched inappropriately in their private areas over their clothing while on set, shifting the focus of the investigation from boundary violations and grooming concerns to alleged criminal sexual contact.

How has Timothy Busfield responded to the allegations, according to investigators?

It is reported that Busfield agreed to speak with investigators in November, giving a recorded statement captured in the affidavit. In that interview, he is quoted as saying,

“I don’t remember it… If it happened, I don’t remember… But it wouldn’t be uncommon for me,”

remarks that investigators set out in the court filing as part of their probable cause narrative.

Busfield also addressed his relationship with the family of the children involved, according to the same report. He told police that his family had bought the children Christmas gifts and socialised with them at gatherings, and he suggested that the children’s mother was “seeking revenge” because the youngsters were not brought back for another season of the show, a claim presented by his side as an alternative explanation for the accusations.

What do witnesses and on-set supervision details reveal?

Court documents cited by The News International indicate that multiple witnesses were interviewed about conditions on the set of The Cleaning Lady in Albuquerque. Among the points highlighted in the affidavit is evidence about the on‑set special education teacher assigned to supervise the children during filming.

Witnesses told police that this teacher would sometimes “lose sight” of the children, suggesting there were periods when the minors were not under direct, continuous supervision while on set, according to the reporting. These accounts form part of the context in which investigators evaluated how, when and where the alleged contact between Busfield and the children could have taken place.

What did Warner Bros. find in its internal investigation?

The News International reports that Warner Bros., the studio behind The Cleaning Lady, conducted its own internal investigation after learning of the allegations. According to court documents referenced in that coverage, the company’s inquiry ultimately concluded that the allegations could not be substantiated.

The internal review by Warner Bros. is summarised in the affidavit as part of the broader evidentiary picture but does not prevent state authorities from pursuing charges based on law‑enforcement interviews, medical reports and other material. The studio’s findings are presented alongside the law‑enforcement narrative to show how different parties responded once the accusations surfaced.

Are there references to prior allegations against Busfield?

The affidavit, as described by The News International, references earlier, separate allegations from Busfield’s past. It notes that he faced prior sexual assault allegations in 1994 and 2012, although those matters did not result in criminal charges being filed.

These prior allegations are included in the document as part of Busfield’s background but remain uncharged incidents, and the reporting makes clear that the current New Mexico case is distinct and based on alleged behaviour connected to the Cleaning Lady set. Investigators nonetheless record the historical claims in their filing, a step that can be relevant in charging discussions or potential future court proceedings.

What is Busfield’s current legal status in New Mexico?

According to The News International’s report, which draws directly on New Mexico court records, Busfield has been formally charged with the three counts but, as of Friday evening, those records do not show that he has been arrested. This means the case has advanced to the charging stage, yet the process of serving any warrant or arranging a first court appearance had not been completed at that time.

The status outlined in the affidavit and docket indicates that the case is in its early procedural phase, with further steps expected, including any arrest, arraignment and subsequent hearings. No plea or detailed public legal response from Busfield’s defence team is set out in the reporting summarising the initial documents.