Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar Break Silence on Joseph Duggar’s Child Molestation Arrest
Content warning: This story discusses child sexual abuse.
Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar are once again living a parent’s nightmare.
Less than two weeks after their son Joseph Duggar was arrested for allegedly molesting a child, a spokesperson for the 19 Kids and Counting alums have shared a statement as they navigate this difficult time alongside Joseph’s wife Kendra Duggar and his four kids.
“Jim Bob and Michelle are heartbroken over this entire situation,” a spokesperson for the Duggar family told Us Weekly. “Right now, they are focused on loving their family and helping Kendra and her children during this difficult time. They are praying for the victim. They ask for privacy and appreciate the kind words and prayers offered by so many.”
E! News has reached out to reps for the Duggars for additional comment but has not heard back.
Joseph, 31, was arrested in Arkansas March 18 for lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor after allegedly molesting a then-9-year-old girl during a Florida family vacation in 2020. The girl, now 14, came forward to police about past sexual abuse and “disclosed several incidents” allegedly involving the TLC star, according to Florida’s Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
“The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,” the department said in a statement. “As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.”
He was awaiting extradition to Florida, however as of March 27, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office told People he was no longer in their
Duggar Family/Instagram
Meanwhile, Kendra was arrested—and released—on March 20 and charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree and four counts of false imprisonment in the second degree, according to jail records viewed by E! News. Arkansas’ Tontitown Police Department said in a press release that Joseph is also facing these charges.
The 27-year-old is due in court April 29.
Since the shocking arrests, many of Joseph’s family members have spoken out denouncing the former reality star.
“I did not think my heart could break like it has this week,” his sister Jinger Duggar Vuolo said on the March 25 episode of The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast. “The pain and heartbreak that we’ve had over this and just thinking of how it’s affected so many. It’s just unthinkable. It’s so hard and painful on many levels.”
Office of the Sheriff Washington County, Arkansas
Jill Duggar Dillard shared that she and husband Derick Dillard were “shocked” and “heartbroken” by the news, which comes nearly five years after her oldest brother Josh Duugar was sentenced to 12 years in prison for child pornography.
“We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved,” they wrote in a March 19 blog post. “Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family. We pray God gives her strength, comfort and hope, and that she is able to get all the help and support she needs and deserves in the days ahead.”
For a look at what more family members shared about the incident, keep reading.
Duggar Family/Instagram
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
Joseph’s parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar broke their silence in a statement on March 30.
“Jim Bob and Michelle are heartbroken over this entire situation,” a spokesperson for the Duggar family told Us Weekly. “Right now, they are focused on loving their family and helping Kendra and her children during this difficult time.”
The spokesperson added that the couple was “praying for the victim. They ask for privacy and appreciate the kind words and prayers offered by so many.”
Jill Duggar Dillard & Derick Dillard
“We were shocked yesterday evening to learn of Jill’s brother (Joseph Duggar’s) arrest,” the couple wrote in a blog post March 19. “We first learned of anything related to his charges yesterday via a text from a friend who messaged us about the recent media reports of Joseph’s arrest and his alleged confession to molesting a juvenile female in 2020. We are shocked and heartbroken.”
Derick and Jill—who spoke out against the family in the 2023 book Counting the Cost—said they “strongly condemn abuse.”
Jason Duggar & Maddie Duggar
The couple, who married in 2024, said they are “angered” by the “unthinkable” actions of his brother Joseph.
“We, like many, have spent the week completely shocked, confused, and grieved to list a few emotions,” Jason and Maddie said in a statement shared on Instagram March 26. “We are disgusted to hear the news about my brother, however, this isn’t about how it’s impacted our lives. Our hearts are burdened because a child’s life has been turned upside down due to evil actions of someone who should have never hurt the vulnerable.”
“Maddie and I have always had a special place in our hearts for the vulnerable around us, and we will continue to do so,” their message went on. “To fathom that someone would abuse their authority to harass the innocent is vile.”
They asked for prayers for the “brave” victim as well as Joseph’s family, saying, “His children must face the reality of losing a father that should have been a spiritual leader in their lives.”
Kris Connor/Getty Images
Josh Duggar
“Josh understands the stigma of being accused,” his attorney told the Daily Mail in a story published March 20. “He lives with the painful reality of how false accusations can destroy a life. He understands how the targeting of a person for publicity can twist the truth into sensationalized fiction.”
Noting that Josh—who is serving 12 years in prison for child pornography—is “not in frequent communication” with Joseph, the attorney said Josh “hopes and prays for his brother’s well being in this difficult time.”
Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth
“What has come out about my brother is heartbreaking and deeply disturbing,” Joy-Anna wrote on her Instagram Stories March 26. “My heart is with the victim, and I am grieved by the pain and harm caused. I have been a wreck this week and am taking time to process.”
She added, “I will be taking some much-needed time with my family.”
Jinger Duggar Vuolo & Jeremy Vuolo
As Jeremy put it in March 25 episode of The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast, “It’s been a really difficult week for us to process and think through and pray through this with the podcast.”
As for Jinger—who moved to Los Angeles with Jeremy in 2019—she said, “I did not think my heart could break like it has this week,” adding, “The pain and heartbreak that we’ve had over this and just thinking of how it’s affected so many. It’s just unthinkable. It’s so hard and painful on many levels.”
“It’s hard,” she continued. “All we can do in those moments is cry out to God and ask him to sustain us and give help because you can’t just be prepared for news like this.”
Amy Duggar King/Instagram
Amy Duggar King
“I am sickened, heartbroken and deeply angry,” Joseph’s cousin said in a March 20 statement to People. “My first thoughts are with the victim, a child who deserved to be safe, protected and surrounded by people she could trust.”
Amy explained she was “utterly shocked to hear about these allegations and Joseph’s arrest.”
“For years, I have spoken out about the importance of truth, accountability and protecting children, even when it meant going against my own family,” she added. “Family ties should never equal automatic trust or access, especially when it comes to the safety of children.”
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