Timothy Busfield Faces Child Abuse Charges on The Cleaning Lady Set in New Mexico; WBTV Promises to Support Law Enforcement Investigations
A 10-year-old boy from New Mexico has alleged that Timothy Busfield, a producer on the television series The Cleaning Lady, inappropriately touched him during the show’s production. According to an arrest warrant issued by the Albuquerque District Attorney, the boy described incidents involving Busfield, stating he “touched his ‘poop’ and ‘pee’ area.”
The warrant, filed by Albuquerque Police Officer Marvin Brown, details the troubling nature of the allegations. It notes that Busfield allegedly exploited his position to establish trust with the family and isolate the children, characterizing this behavior as a form of grooming. "In my training and experience, pedophiles often infiltrate families under a trusted role, like Timothy, who…masked it as play," Officer Brown wrote.
The arrest warrant cites accounts from two brothers who reported similar experiences with Busfield, leading to charges of two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and child abuse. At this time, it remains unclear whether Busfield has been arrested.
If convicted, Busfield faces a minimum sentence of three years in prison. The 68-year-old, who previously faced but was never charged in two sexual assault cases in 1994 and 2012, may be looking at a significantly longer sentence given the severity of the allegations and the ages of the minors involved.
The boys, identified as “SL” and “VL” in the warrant, appeared on The Cleaning Lady until they aged out of their roles. During a November 2025 interview, Busfield suggested there might be a motive for the allegations, claiming the boys’ mother wanted “revenge” over their departure from the show.
According to the warrant, SL reported that the alleged abuse began when he was seven years old. He described multiple incidents, stating that he was afraid to speak out due to Busfield’s authority as the director and the anxiety he felt. The warrant also details how SL now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, including nightmares related to the alleged encounters.
VL disclosed that after two years, he did not speak out about the incidents, fearing negative consequences. The allegations first came to the attention of authorities in late 2024 when a doctor from the University of New Mexico Hospital reported concerns regarding potential sexual abuse.
The case gained renewed urgency following a report from SL to his counselor in September 2025, prompting a detailed investigation. A prior inquiry by Warner Bros. Television into allegations against Busfield had concluded with Busfield being suspended, although he was later described as "exonerated" by the studio’s investigation.
A planned interview between Officer Brown and series star Elodie Yung was scheduled, but Yung declined to participate, stating she had no information pertinent to the investigation. The ongoing investigation highlights serious allegations that underscore the complexities of abuse in familial and trusted roles within the entertainment industry.
