'The Cleaning Lady' actor Timothy Busfield faces US arrest warrant over alleged child sex abuse | Today News

A criminal arrest warrant has been issued for American actor and director Timothy Busfield, alleging serious sexual misconduct involving minors during the filming of a television series in New Mexico.

Busfield, 68, best known for his portrayal of journalist Danny Concannon on 'The West Wing' and roles in 'Thirtysomething' and 'Field of Dreams', faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, according to official documents filed by the Albuquerque Police Department.

Police began investigating the matter on 1 November 2024 after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted authorities to suspected abuse. The subsequent probe centred on allegations from two 11-year-old siblings, whose identities have been withheld because of their age.

The two boys, who are child actors, first met Busfield on the set of the Fox drama ‘The Cleaning Lady’, where Busfield served as a director during the show’s final seasons.

One of the children reportedly told investigators that the alleged inappropriate conduct began when he was seven years old. According to the Albuquerque arrest warrant, the incidents were first disclosed by the family only after concerns were raised by medical professionals.

Following the hospital alert, a detective from the Albuquerque Police Department interviewed the boys’ parents, who said their children had worked on ‘The Cleaning Lady’ and had become close to Busfield after he joined the production.

The arrest warrant states that Busfield encouraged the children to call him “Uncle Tim,” and that he would tickle them on their stomachs and legs. The parents told officers that they had previously heard “multiple rumours that Timothy had been ‘handsy’ with women and minors.” When they subsequently asked their sons if anyone had made them feel uncomfortable, one boy reportedly responded: “You mean like Uncle Tim?”

Following these disclosures, the family sought professional advice and were recommended by an attorney to take the boys to the University of New Mexico Hospital for evaluation. Healthcare professionals reportedly indicated that the children may have been groomed. Nonetheless, police records say that at that initial interview the boys did not disclose sexual contact at that time, and the police did not immediately pursue charges.

Later, one of the boys opened up to a therapist and paediatrician, saying that Busfield had “touched him on his penis and bottom.” The warrant indicates that the child was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety and described having nightmares about the alleged incidents.

Efforts to reach representatives for Busfield and the Fox network, which produced ‘The Cleaning Lady’, have been unsuccessful. Warner Bros., the studio behind the series, reportedly conducted its own internal review after a separate anonymous complaint was filed in 2025, although the results did not corroborate the allegations, as noted in the police filings.

Busfield has not been taken into custody at the time of publication and has not publicly responded to the allegations. Under New Mexico law, the charges he faces are felonies that could lead to significant prison sentences if he is convicted. Legal experts note that the case underscores the broader concerns about safeguarding children working in the entertainment industry.