Joseph Duggar speaking after his brother Josh Duggar admitted to sexually abusing five girls, including members of his own family.
On Wednesday, March 18, news broke that Joseph, 31, was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim under the age of 12 and lewd and lascivious behavior by a person 18 or older.
According to a press release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, investigators were contacted by an investigator from the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas regarding a report of past sexual assault. The 14-year-old victim recalls several alleged incidents in 2020 involving 9-year-old Joseph. Joseph is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County.
Years ago, Joseph criticized Josh’s behavior after the oldest Duggar sibling, now 38, was accused of molesting five girls – four of whom were his sisters – when he was a teenager.
“Whenever someone you respect so much is willing to stand up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you wouldn’t think that’s someone who’s a part of it,” Joseph said in a 2015 episode of Counting On.
Joseph continued to express shock that Josh was “living a secret life,” adding, “It broke my heart.”
Reality TV fans were introduced to the Duggar family in 2008 with TLC’s premiere. 19 Children and counting. A show followed Jim Bob again Michelle Duggarbig family and conservative lifestyle, but TLC canceled the series after Josh was admitted for molestation. Spinoff series Counting On was later canceled in 2021 after Josh was arrested on child pornography charges. He was later convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Josh apologized after being accused of molestation in 2015. He revealed that he once sought counseling because of his “incorrectness” when he was young.
“Twelve years ago, when I was a teenager, I did something for no reason that I deeply regret and deeply regret,” he wrote on the family’s Facebook account at the time. “I hurt others, including my family and close friends.”
Months later, hackers released data stolen from Ashley Madison’s website, leading Josh to admit that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Anna Duggar, after his account was exposed.
The next generation of Duggars has arrived and more are on the way — because 19 kids and counting wasn’t enough. It all started when Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar tied the knot in 1984 and started raising their family four years later. Since the birth of Josh in 1988, the couple have welcomed twins John-David […]
“I have brought pain and shame to my family, close friends and fans of our show with my actions when I was 14-15 years old, and now I have broken their trust again,” Josh wrote on his family’s website in 2015. do not choose our results, I am very sorry [the] I have caused many people pain by being a bad example. I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family at this time.”
Josh and Anna remained married and raised their family with seven children. After Josh was arrested in 2021, he pleaded not guilty and was later sentenced to 151 months in prison, which he is still serving.
Joseph, meanwhile, is married to a wife Kendra Duggar. The couple married in 2017 and share four children: sons Garrett and Justus and daughters Addison Renee and Brooklyn.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
