Melissa Gilbert was present during a phone interview between her husband, Timothy Busfield, and police while investigators looked into allegations of sexual misconduct, according to an arrest warrant.
On Friday, Jan. 9, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued an arrest warrant alleging that Busfield, 68, engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two child actors — 11-year-old twin boys. One of the boys alleged the incidents began when he was 7.
According to the warrant, Officer Marvin Brown said he contacted Busfield for a phone interview on Nov. 3, 2025. Busfield told the investigator he was in New York at the time and that his wife, 61, was listening to the call on speakerphone.
During the interview, Busfield allegedly told police the boys’ parents were upset that the twins had been replaced by a younger actor, the warrant states. Busfield also said he later received a call from Warner Bros. informing him the company was investigating a complaint.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1082x814:1084x816):format(webp)/Timothy-Busfield-Melissa-Gilbert-tout-011026-03-48d95ae5bb4c4c46bbd7eb6bd93bbe5e.jpg)
The police investigation began on Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) alerted officers about a case of suspected sexual abuse.
The warrant says the victims’ parents told Officer Brown that their children were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield served as a director.
The parents also said professionals suggested the boys “were groomed,” according to the warrant. Authorities later determined the case did not meet acceptance criteria at the time.
In October 2025, the boys’ mother filed a police report and told Child Protective Services (CPS) that “her children both disclosed that there was sexual abuse by Timothy from around November 2022 to Spring 2024.” The warrant states she was initially told that because physical abuse had not occurred, nothing could be done.
Investigators also determined that Busfield and Gilbert “did have a relationship” with the two boys and their family outside of work, according to the warrant.
“They advised that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions,” Brown wrote, summarizing statements Busfield and Gilbert allegedly made during the investigation.
In his conclusion, Brown referenced the gift-giving again, writing that Busfield “would invite the family to off-set gatherings, with his wife buying Christmas gifts to foster closeness.”
Before the newly issued warrant, Busfield had faced prior sexual assault allegations dating back to 1994, according to the warrant. Those allegations did not lead to charges.
Gilbert and Busfield, known for roles including Thirtysomething and The West Wing, married in 2013.
Representatives for both Gilbert and Busfield did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
In an earlier statement, a Warner Bros. Television spokesperson said, “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action.”
“[We] have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement,” the spokesperson added.
