Melissa Gilbert Bought ‘Christmas Gifts’ for Husband Timothy Busfield’s Alleged Child Victims, Arrest Warrant States
Melissa Gilbert bought “Christmas gifts” for husband Timothy Busfield’s alleged sex crimes victims, 11-year-old twins, an arrest warrant states
Police said the couple told authorities during an investigation “that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions”
Busfield is facing an arrest warrant tied to two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse
Melissa Gilbert bought “Christmas gifts” for the young boys who were alleged to have been the subject of sex crimes by her husband, Timothy Busfield, according to an arrest warrant.
Details from the Arrest Warrant
The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued the arrest warrant on Friday, January 9th, alleging that Busfield, 68, engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, 11-year-old twins whose identities were withheld from the public. (One of the minors alleged that the incidents began when he was 7 years old.)
In the warrant, obtained by people, Officer Marvin Brown stated that he determined Busfield and Gilbert, 61, “did have a relationship” with the two victims identified in the document as “SL” and “VL” “and their family outside of work.”
“They advised that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions,” Brown wrote in the arrest warrant, referring to statements Busfield and Gilbert made during an interview held amid an investigation.
In the conclusion of his findings, Brown mentioned the Christmas gift-giving again, writing that Busfield “would invite the family to off-set gatherings, with his wife buying Christmas gifts to foster closeness.”
Representatives for both Gilbert and Busfield have not responded to people’s repeated requests for comment.
How the Investigation Began
An investigation into Busfield, who is known for his role as Danny Concannon on The West Wing, began in November 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) alerted police about alleged sexual abuse, according to the arrest warrant.
The victims’ parents told Brown that the minors were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director. (The television program ran from January 2022 until June 2025.)
The parents were advised by an attorney to take the children to UNMH, where they said professionals suggested the boys “were groomed,” per the warrant. It was later determined, however, that the case did not meet authorities’ acceptance criteria at the time.
Later, in October 2025, the victims’ mother filed a police report and told Child Protective Services (CPS) that “her children both disclosed that there was sexual abuse by Timothy from around November 2022 to Spring 2024.” However, according to the warrant, she was told that because physical abuse had not occurred, nothing could be done.
Busfield’s Response
During an investigation, Busfield allegedly told police that the parents were upset their sons had been replaced with a younger actor who auditioned, according to the warrant. Shortly after, the actor received a call from Warner Bros., informing him they were investigating a complaint.
Warner Bros. Statement
In a statement to people , a Warner Bros. Television representative said, “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. 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] have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement,” the spokesperson added.
Prior Allegations
Before the recent arrest warrant, Busfield faced prior sexual assault allegations dating back to 1994, according to the warrant. Those did not result in charges.
Gilbert and Busfield’s Marriage
Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013, a year after reconnecting at a bar.
At the time, Gilbert was newly single after splitting from ex-husband Bruce Boxleitner, whom she was married to from 1995 to 2011. Prior to that, she was married to Bo Brinkman from 1988 to 1994.
Last April, Gilbert celebrated her 12th wedding anniversary, marking the occasion with a tribute to Busfield on Instagram.
Gilbert’s Recent Comments on Child Abuse
Weeks before her husband’s arrest warrant was issued, Gilbert spoke out about child sex abuse in a social media post.
In November, Gilbert shared a throwback photo of herself and reflected on her Little House on the Prairie experience, when she filmed with an older love interest, though she did not allege any improper behavior by the actor.
Gilbert shared the reflective post after Megyn Kelly made comments about convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Significance of Gift-Giving
The arrest warrant’s specific mention of Gilbert’s Christmas gift-giving to the alleged victims is significant because it demonstrates the level of personal relationship that developed between the couple and the boys’ family outside of professional settings.
Investigators noted this pattern as part of what they characterized as Busfield’s alleged grooming behavior—inviting the family to social gatherings and having his wife provide gifts to “foster closeness” with the minors.
This detail raises questions about what Gilbert knew or should have known about her husband’s interactions with these young actors, though no allegations have been made against her directly.
Systemic Failures
The case also highlights potential systemic failures in protecting child actors. Despite concerns being raised by medical professionals in November 2024 that the boys may have been “groomed,” the case initially didn’t meet authorities’ acceptance criteria.
Even when the mother filed a formal report in October 2025, she was allegedly told that without physical abuse, “nothing could be done”—a response that reflects troubling gaps in how allegations of child sexual abuse are sometimes handled by authorities.
Industry Implications
The allegations against Busfield raise broader questions about protections for child actors and oversight of their interactions with adult professionals in the entertainment industry. The fact that the alleged abuse occurred over an extended period—from November 2022 to Spring 2024—while Busfield was working as a director on a major network production suggests potential failures in safeguarding systems.
As the legal process unfolds, both Gilbert and Busfield face intense scrutiny, with the public wondering what role, if any, Gilbert may have played in facilitating the relationship between her husband and the alleged victims, even if inadvertently through acts of apparent kindness like gift-giving.
The case serves as a stark reminder of how predators can use seemingly innocent gestures and family-friendly social gatherings to gain access to vulnerable children while concealing abusive intentions.