Melissa Gilbert's Husband Timothy Busfield Said It Was 'Highly Likely' He Touched Kids On Set, Warrant Reveals

Melissa Gilbert's husband, Timothy Busfield, has surrendered in Albuquerque following allegations of sexual misconduct involving two minors on the set of "The Cleaning Lady."

His surrender came shortly after it was revealed that he once admitted it was "highly likely" he had physical contact with the children, describing the set as "playful."

Timothy Busfield has denied wrongdoing, releasing a video asserting his innocence, while his wife, Melissa Gilbert, has disappeared from social media, deactivating her Instagram page.

Actor Timothy Busfield Admits 'Playful' Contact With Children On Set

According to an arrest warrant obtained by Us Weekly, Busfield acknowledged to police that it was "highly likely" he had touched two minors on the set of the Fox series "The Cleaning Lady," describing the environment as "playful" and noting that there were no formal rules about physical contact with minors during filming.

During a November 3, 2025, police interview with Officer Marvin Brown of the Albuquerque Police Department, Busfield explained that while picking up or interacting with children "wasn't allowed," there was "no protocol" for physical interactions between adults and child actors.

He added, "I mean, I'm always around people, right? It would be, you know, in front of the parents. There would never be a weird moment about it."

Busfield also recalled occasionally picking up other children on set to help them "get ready to act," though he said he did not remember doing so with the two boys involved.

He noted that tickling or playing with child actors "wouldn't be uncommon" for him, but denied ever tickling the boys in question. Busfield emphasized that the children were never left alone without a teacher, welfare worker, or parent present.

Alleged Abuse By Timothy Busfield Dates Back To 2022; Warner Bros. Found No Evidence In Prior Investigation

The warrant states that the alleged abuse occurred between 2022 and 2024, beginning when one of the boys was seven years old.

Investigators said one child was reportedly "very afraid" of Busfield on set and did not disclose the incidents at the time, fearing repercussions from the director.

The allegations came to light in November 2024 after a physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital flagged suspected sexual abuse.

Representatives for Warner Bros., which produced "The Cleaning Lady," confirmed to ABC News that a prior independent investigation found no evidence supporting the claims.

The studio emphasized its commitment to addressing misconduct seriously, stating, "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 are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement."

Timothy Busfield Denies Allegations In Video Before Surrendering To Authorities

Before surrendering to the authorities, Busfield, known also for the 1989 film "Field of Dreams," released a video denying the allegations.

"I'm sure most of you know that are watching this that I was ordered to come to Albuquerque," he said in the video obtained by TMZ. "I'm here now. I got the call Friday night. I had to get a lawyer. Saturday, I got in the car and drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque."

He continued, "I'm going to confront these lies. They're horrible. They're all lies. I did not do anything to those little boys. And I'm going to fight it."

"I'm going to fight it with a great team, and I'm going to be exonerated. I know I am because this is all so wrong and all lies. So hang in there, and hopefully I'm out real soon and back to work," Busfield added.

Timothy Busfield Allegedly Maintained Close Ties With Child Actors

Meanwhile, Busfield allegedly told investigators that he and his wife, Gilbert, had a relationship with the boys and their parents "outside of work," at times giving the children Christmas gifts and attending several social events together.

During the investigation, a production assistant reportedly said that one of the children, referred to as SL, was sometimes left unsupervised, and his on-set teacher did not consistently monitor him.

The assistant noted that this was evident when the minor once rode a skateboard through a live set.

Officer Brown wrote in the warrant that, based on interviews with multiple production staff, "I believe Timothy had the opportunity to be alone with SL while he was lying in bed on the TV set."

Following an internal Warner Bros. investigation, it was documented that in December 2024, an individual claimed to have witnessed Busfield enter the Hair and Make-Up trailer and kiss a minor male on the face while the child was getting a haircut.

Melissa Gilbert Deactivated Her Instagram Account Following Reports About Her Husband

Gilbert, for her part, seems to have taken down her Instagram page after it was revealed that there was a warrant for her husband, Busfield's arrest.

Prior to the shocking incident, Gilbert had a thriving social media presence and usually gave insights into her personal life.

The actress also once used her platform to speak out against child sex abuse, as she made a post about her time on "Little House on the Prairie."

Gilbert noted that she felt "nauseated" seeing images of her 15-year-old self kissing her much older co-star, Dean Butler.