Prosecutor Urges Continued Detention for Timothy Busfield Amid Child Abuse Case Concerns
In a New Mexico courtroom today, Bernalillo County Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch described the challenges children face when disclosing abuse, highlighting the case against actor Timothy Busfield. The Thirtysomething star is accused of repeatedly inappropriately touching a young boy who acted in the Albuquerque-filmed The Cleaning Lady.
Brandenburg-Koch asserted that Busfield, 68, poses a risk of recidivism. “He does have the likelihood that he could reoffend,” she stated, referencing earlier uncharged allegations against him from 1994 and 2012, as well as a newly revealed claim dating back over 30 years. These past allegations involved teenage girls and adult women.
In response, defense attorney Christopher Dodd expressed significant concern over the prosecutor’s comments, criticizing them as premature. He stated, “I have significant concerns about the prosecution talking as if he has already been convicted” and emphasized that the children initially “flat out denied” any sexual abuse during their first conversations with law enforcement. Dodd characterized the criminal complaint as biased.
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Dodd presented a witness, Alan Caudillo, the director of photography for The Cleaning Lady, who had previously written a letter to the court supporting Busfield. This letter was included in the defense’s response to the prosecution’s motions.
Melissa Gilbert, Busfield’s wife, was present in the courtroom. Having submitted a letter outlining Busfield’s good qualities, she sat alongside other family members as he appeared in an orange prison jumpsuit, shackled, and awaiting the hearing. Busfield, appearing visibly shaken, reviewed documents and sipped water as he prepared for the proceedings.
Timothy Busfield in a pretrial detention hearing on January 20 in Albuquerque (Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
Brandenburg-Koch criticized the “minimal investigation” conducted by The Cleaning Lady producer Warner Bros. following the allegations against Busfield, asserting that the results of a lie detector test he passed prior to his surrender should carry little weight. She stated, “Polygraph… does not address what this hearing is about.”
Arguing for continued detention, the prosecutor noted that “80% of children delay disclosure,” emphasizing that it is common for children to reveal information gradually. She urged Judge Murphy to find Busfield a danger to the community, asserting that no conditions of release would ensure public safety.
Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and child abuse, as detailed in an arrest warrant issued on January 9. The defense has raised questions about why the young boys only mentioned tickling during their initial statements to authorities, stating it wasn’t until September 2025 that one of them disclosed more serious allegations to a counselor.
In a phone interview quoted in the warrant, Busfield claimed that the lead actress of The Cleaning Lady, Elodie Yung, indicated the boys’ mother was motivated by a desire for revenge following his decision not to bring the children back for a season finale.
The defense characterized the allegations as financially driven, claiming that the prosecution has “no reliable proof” and that the alleged witnesses have dubious histories. They asserted that a comprehensive investigation by the studio contradicted the allegations made against Busfield.
During the hearing, Judge Murphy questioned the families’ decision to contact lawyers before reporting allegations. Brandenburg-Koch clarified that no civil lawsuit has been filed, noting, “this is not about the parents’ history.”
Since news of the charges surfaced, a Law & Order: SVU episode featuring Busfield has been pulled from the schedule, Amazon-MGM has removed him from the rom-com You Deserve Each Other, and his agency, Innovative Artists, dropped him on January 14.
