Actor and director Timothy Busfield has vehemently denied allegations of inappropriately touching twin child actors, stating during grand jury testimony, “I didn’t do this. I have never, ever been inappropriate.” Busfield, 69, maintained his innocence for over two hours of testimony in Albuquerque, New Mexico, audio of which was obtained by the Daily Mail.
Busfield faces four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under 13. The charges stem from alleged incidents involving twin brothers who appeared on the television series “The Cleaning Lady,” where Busfield served as a producer and director between 2022 and 2025. He told the grand jury in February that he has never been attracted to prepubescent children and has only been attracted to adult women throughout his life. He emphasized that such behavior would be “career suicide” and “absolutely taboo” on a set.
Busfield expressed that the allegations have had a devastating impact on his life and career, stating through tears, “My life is done because of these false allegations for money and for revenge.” He suggested that the boys' mother sought revenge after the twins' roles on the show were reduced. "She wanted revenge and she got it," he testified. "I’m done… Thank God I’m in retirement age, but I’m done."
The actor acknowledged physical contact with the boys on set but insisted it was never inappropriate. He testified that he had a close relationship with the children and their parents, and that the twins would call him “Uncle Tim.” He stated that parents would sometimes ask him to hug or tickle the children, but he never initiated such contact. "Did I have my arms around those boys? Absolutely. In pictures, absolutely… In pictures, when the parents ask you to smile and give them a tickle under the ribs like you would your own kid? Yes. Did I ever touch them inappropriately? Never ever once, with any prepubescent boy,” Busfield said.
Busfield also claimed he was never alone with the child actors on set, stating that dozens of witnesses were often present. He told the grand jury he did not remember kissing either boy and indicated he could provide evidence, including alleged audio recordings of the twins, to support his claims. He mentioned taking a lie detector test, but prosecutors informed him that such tests are generally inadmissible in court.
Busfield suggested the twins were removed from “The Cleaning Lady” because they outgrew their roles, not due to any misconduct. He stated that the children were supposed to be 6-7 years old, but contract renegotiations and COVID-19 delays meant they were too old when filming resumed. Their parents, he claimed, were upset by this decision.
An investigation began in November 2024 after a hospital staff member reported concerns about potential grooming after the boys' mother brought them in suspecting sexual abuse. Hospital staff reportedly found no evidence of abuse. Busfield was arrested in January, released without bail, and formally indicted in February. He is scheduled to stand trial on May 10, 2027. He has been married to actress Melissa Gilbert since 2013, and she has publicly supported him, not believing his accusers.