Popular 1990s actor faces child abuse allegations. Settled similar case 30 years ago

I was just reading about this. This latest incident involves 11 year old twin boys, one of whom said that the abuse began when he was 7.

Busfield apparently told police that the parents were upset their sons had been replaced with a younger actor who auditioned, according to the warrant.

Then investigation began in November 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) alerted police about sexual abuse.

His wife Melissa Gilbert deactivated her Instagram account after the story broke. The police are attempting to locate Busfield who apparently is missing.
 

This is completely irrelevant, but I always liked him in The West Wing. I was so sorry to read this about him. If it was an actor I didn't like, maybe it wouldn't seem so bad? I know, that's nuts.
 
MarciKS said:
I will never understand that. If that had happened to me, there's no way I would've kept my mouth shut or waited 30 years to say something.

My school principal was inappropriate with me one day and first thing I did when I got home was tell my mother.

I just have a really hard time buying it. I respect your opinion, but I don't always agree.
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Wasn't this about 2 boys? I heard that for them it was even way worse.

I know someone, now in her 80s, who was raped by her dad. Nobody believed her. Not even her own mother and family members. You hear that so often. Not everyone has these nice great parents you can tell everything and who will stick up for you or the rapist threatens them that their family will go to prison or get killed if they open their mouth.
 

This occurred to me: long ago, I read that when minors work on movies or t.v. shows, the law requires them to have a parent or a 'guardian' assigned by a parent to be with them at all times.. how could things like that happen if the youngsters are being supervised?
 
MarciKS said:
What I find odd is why wait 30 yrs to report something like that unless you're being shady. It makes no sense.

I always feel like they're just doing it for the $$ at that point.
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It was just in the Dutch News. Guy abused 30 kids. Let them stay over with his kids. He drugged them or did it in their sleep.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/1ow9fv3
TheLeftDrumStick
•2mo ago

I tried. My mom told them I was lying. Then I tried to report it myself as an adult and was told I could only file a civil suit by now.

ThatArtlife
•2mo ago

I believed him when he said my parents will hit me, won't believe or might die if they even find out... After 15 years of hell I told them.... He was right... They blamed me for it and didn't believe me........ I get blamed every single time.... And it hurts
Top_Mathematician233
•2mo ago

I did not report my sexual assault and I’ve become very vocal about it in recent years. I do not regret not reporting. I’d make the same decision again… For me, it was/is important to acknowledge to myself that his behavior is not and never was my responsibility. I did what was necessary for me - the victim - to survive and stay sane. His future actions are also not my responsibility. I’m not the protector of hypothetical potential future victims, especially when I could hardly take care of myself.
Do not feel any shame or regret for handling things the way you did. The system is highly flawed. Society is highly flawed. You are responsible for surviving and healing, and nothing more. Focus on that and leave everything else to background noise. The world needs doctors like you who will be able to relate to victims and advocate for their health over all else.
 
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Trading accusations at this point.

The DM has a report there's a third person who made accusations in the past. TMZ says Busfield will or has taken a lie detector test. Also read the current criminal allegations started in 2022. I don't think New Mexico would've proceeded with actual criminal charges unless they had their ducks in a row.
 
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It wasn’t unusual 30 or more years ago for both kids and women to be ignored and not believed if they reported sexual abuse. Teen girls and women were casually groped by older men in the workplace and in volunteer settings. Sadly, when I was young, this was not seen as a serious problem.

That actor has had a lot of accusations throughout the years and all of them are unlikely to be false. I really liked him as an actor too, but that’s not the real life and I’m glad that he’s finally being prosecuted so he can’t victimize any more children.

At one point in time I was a social worker working with abused children. They are indeed damaged in someway for life. Depending on the degree of abuse, some people are able to work through it with therapy and have a normal life and others are not. Sexual abuse has been found to have a much more profound negative impact on children than physical abuse. obviously both are horrible.
 
I don't know if Timothy Busfield is guilty or not. My question would be...aren't minors supposed to have their parents or a studio assigned chaperone assigned to them to supervise them when they are in the studio? Where were they? If it happened outside the studio, where were the parents? They were too young to be left unsupervised? I'm going to go with that he's innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. If he's proven guilty, then all means they need to punish him by the full extent of the law.
 
Now, I'm reading the 3rd (supposed) child to claim Inappropriate touching, well the child's father is a doctor and he thought instead of turning him in, they agreed he (TB) should and would get counseling.

We see how well that worked out, if the charges are true. imo
 
WhatInThe said:
Trading accusations at this point.

The DM has a report there's a third person who made accusations in the past. TMZ says Busfield will or has taken a lie detector test. Also read the current criminal allegations started in 2022. I don't think New Mexico would've proceeded with actual criminal charges unless they had their ducks in a row.
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Did I miss something again? Who is trading accusations?
 
TeePee said:
I don't know if Timothy Busfield is guilty or not. My question would be...aren't minors supposed to have their parents or a studio assigned chaperone assigned to them to supervise them when they are in the studio? Where were they? If it happened outside the studio, where were the parents? They were too young to be left unsupervised? I'm going to go with that he's innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. If he's proven guilty, then all means they need to punish him by the full extent of the law.
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Yes, that's what I said, too.. where were the parents/guardians?
 
dobielvr said:
Now, I'm reading the 3rd (supposed) child to claim Inappropriate touching, well the child's father is a doctor and he thought instead of turning him in, they agreed he (TB) should and would get counseling.

We see how well that worked out, if the charges are true. imo
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I don't believe the "doctor". No self respecting parent, let alone a doctor, would have let their child sexual abuse slide. If he's not a self respecting individual, why should anyone believe he's telling the truth? Also...if he is telling the truth, he should lose his license and how many other patients of his that reported sexual abuse did he let slide?
It reminds of when that dentist accused Michael Jackson of child abuse. It's funny when Michael Jackson paid him 20 million dollars, he immediately forgot about the charges. 20 million dollars or not, no self respecting parent that truly believed their child, would sell their child out for any amount of money. They would want to see their child abuser punished by the full extent of the law. What he did was prostitute his child out?
 
CallMeKate said:
People News Alert (just now)

"Timothy Busfield faces new sexual abuse claim by 16-year-old girl, whose dad says actor 'begged' for therapy instead of police: DA"​

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You or someone else mentioned that news source awhile back, but when I checked I couldn't find it.. where is it located- t.v., web, etc.??
 
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