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Huge Twist In Timothy Busfield’s Case As Audio Reveals Accusers Denying Claims Of Horrific Crimes
Timothy Busfield in orange prison attire, guarded by officers, in a courtroom setting related to case audio revelations.

Huge Twist In Timothy Busfield’s Case As Audio Reveals Accusers Denying Claims Of Horrific Crimes

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A new audio recording has further complicated the case of two child actors accusing director Timothy Busfield of s*xual misconduct.

As 68 -year-old Timothy remained in custody, his team submitted a police audio that captured the underage twins talking about their interactions with him.

The clip came after the director’s wife and actress Melissa Gilbert wrote the “strangest letter” to the judge about her “sweet husband.”

RELATED:
    Highlights
    • A new audio recording captured the two child actors talking about their interactions with Timothy Busfield.
    • The Emmy winner was accused of grooming the twin boys and inappropriately touching them on the set of 'The Cleaning Lady.'
    • One of the boys said he “was afraid to tell anyone because Tim was the director, and he feared Tim would get mad at him.”
    • Timothy's wife Melissa Gilbert wrote the “strangest letter” about her husband to a judge last week.

    A new audio recording has further complicated the case of two child actors accusing Timothy Busfield of s*xual misconduct

    Image credits: BUILD Series

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    Trigger warning: This article contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.

    Timothy Busfield turned himself in to authorities last week and remains in custody in New Mexico with no bond.

    Ahead of a court hearing on Tuesday, January 20, Timothy’s attorney submitted an audio in a New Mexico court on Monday, capturing the two child actors talking about their interactions on the set of The Cleaning Lady.

    Image credits: NBCLA

    Timothy directed and acted in the Fox show The Cleaning Lady, which ran from 2022 to 2025.

    He was accused of grooming the boys on the studio set and touching them inappropriately, back when they were around 7 years old.

    The West Wing actor was accused of grooming the twin boys and inappropriately touching them on the set of The Cleaning Lady

    Image credits: Noam Galai/Getty Images

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    The newly submitted audio clip included a police interview with the twin boys, referred to as V.L and S.L.

    “You know no one can touch your private areas?” an officer was heard asking in the November, 2024, interview.

    “Yes,” the boys responded.

    Image credits: Metropolitan Detention Center

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    When the officer asked the twins whether Timothy ever touched their private parts, they both denied it.

    “He didn’t touch that part,” said the boy known as S.L, while V.L said in a separate audio, “No, he’s never touched me.”

    As Timothy’s legal team submitted the audio in court on Monday, they described the child actors’ responses as the “unequivocal denial” of their allegations of being inappropriately touched.

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    The recently submitted audio captured S.L and V.L describing their interactions with the director

    Image credits: Will Hart/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images

    Prosecutors, however, claimed the audio was showing the twins failing to “disclose” the s*xual ab*se during the interview, Timothy’s legal team said.

    The criminal complaint alleges that one of the boys confided in a therapist about the director touching his “genitalia” and “bottom” on multiple occasions on set.

    The West Wing star made the boys call him “Uncle Tim” and would “tickle them on the stomach and legs, despite them not liking the tickling.”

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    One of the boys spoke to authorities about being inappropriately touched and said he “was afraid to tell anyone because Tim was the director, and he feared Tim would get mad at him.”

    Image credits: ABC

    The same boy was also diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety after Timothy’s alleged behavior, according to the complaint.

    He had reportedly disclosed to his therapist earlier that the “director of a series … had engaged in inappropriate touching.” He also had “nightmares about the director touching him and waking up scared,” an arrest warrant said.

    Timothy turned himself in on January 13 but vehemently denied the allegations against him. He called them “horrible lies” and said he was going to “confront” them in a statement to TMZ.

    “I did not do anything to those little boys … I’m going to fight it with a great team, and I’m going to be exonerated,” he said. “I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies.”

    One boy allegedly confided in a therapist and said the “director of a series … had engaged in inappropriate touching”

    Image credits: timbusfield

    Timothy’s defense team accused the boys’ parents of fabricating the ab*se allegations to gain revenge after another child actor replaced their twin sons in the final season of the show.

    “The children’s parents have a well-documented history of fraud and dishonesty,” the director’s lawyers alleged in court documents.

    “The timeline does not indicate an investigation naturally unfolding, but instead an express effort to seek revenge against Mr. Busfield after losing the lucrative opportunity that came with their children’s acting on The Cleaning Lady,” they added.

    Image credits: WFSB 3

    After her husband was charged with two counts of criminal s*xual contact of a minor and one count of child ab*se, Melissa Gilbert wrote an emotional plea to the judge and called it the “strangest letter” she has “ever had to write.”

    “Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life. He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humor and quick wit bring sparkle to my life,” the Little House on the Prairie star wrote to a Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court judge.

    @tmz🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Timothy Busfield just surrendered to law enforcement after an arrest warrant was issued earlier this month and prosecutors charged him with child abuse and criminal s*xual contact with a minor … but he made it clear to TMZ — he says he’s innocent. DETAILS AT LINK IN BIO 🔗♬ original sound – TMZ

    Melissa called her husband the “beating heart of [their] wild and wonderful extended family” and asked the judge to “protect” him.

    “Please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart,” she wrote. “I am relying on you to protect him for me.”

    The court hearing on January 20 will determine whether Timothy will be released on bail.

    “Those boys were coached by a vindictive mother looking for a payday,” one said, while another wrote, “I don’t think kids want to admit it. Especially to police”

     

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    Binitha Jacob

    Binitha Jacob

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Read more »

    At Bored Panda, I dive into breaking celebrity news, Hollywood updates, and viral pop culture stories that spark global conversations. My background as a reporter at International Business Times and Latin Times gave me experience covering fast-moving entertainment stories for international audiences. Today, my work regularly appears on Google News, AOL, and MSN, reaching millions of readers. What excites me most is capturing the pop culture moments that people can’t stop talking about.

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    Binitha Jacob

    Binitha Jacob

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    At Bored Panda, I dive into breaking celebrity news, Hollywood updates, and viral pop culture stories that spark global conversations. My background as a reporter at International Business Times and Latin Times gave me experience covering fast-moving entertainment stories for international audiences. Today, my work regularly appears on Google News, AOL, and MSN, reaching millions of readers. What excites me most is capturing the pop culture moments that people can’t stop talking about.

    What do you think ?
    Jen
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To everyone who immediately commented on his guilt when the story first came out - I hope you learned something.

    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Coached. Seven year olds don’t say the word “genitalia”, they would say, at best, “p***s”, but more likely something like “pee-pee”. This is suspect, and another, UNBIASED professional needs to be called in to get down to the bottom of it. I am not saying he’s innocent, but I’m not saying he’s guilty either. I am saying the evidence needs to be completely reexamined by an unbiased professional, in an effort to get to the truth.

    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It sounded like a "cash grab" to me from the beginning. The parents were sketchy AF.

    Load More Comments
    Jen
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To everyone who immediately commented on his guilt when the story first came out - I hope you learned something.

    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Coached. Seven year olds don’t say the word “genitalia”, they would say, at best, “p***s”, but more likely something like “pee-pee”. This is suspect, and another, UNBIASED professional needs to be called in to get down to the bottom of it. I am not saying he’s innocent, but I’m not saying he’s guilty either. I am saying the evidence needs to be completely reexamined by an unbiased professional, in an effort to get to the truth.

    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It sounded like a "cash grab" to me from the beginning. The parents were sketchy AF.

    Load More Comments
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