{"id":2352025,"date":"2026-03-30T21:43:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T21:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2352025"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:43:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T21:43:19","slug":"jim-bob-and-michelle-duggar-break-silence-on-josephs-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/jim-bob-and-michelle-duggar-break-silence-on-josephs-arrest\/","title":{"rendered":"Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Break Silence on Joseph’s Arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jim Bob Duggar <\/b>and Michelle Duggar <\/strong>have spoken out after their son Joseph Duggar<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s arrest for child molestation allegations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cJim Bob and Michelle are heartbroken over this entire situation,\u201d a spokesperson for the Duggar family tells Us Weekly<\/em> in a statement. \u201cRight 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Us<\/em> confirmed on March 18 that Joseph, 31, was arrested by the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas amid accusations of abuse from a 14-year-old victim. She alleged that Joseph molested her multiple times during a 2020 family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida, when she was 9 years old.<\/p>\n

Per Florida police<\/a>, the victim took part in a forensic interview where she described an alleged pattern of abuse by Joseph.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Joseph Duggar Celebrated His Family in Last Instagram Post Before Arrest<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tFormer Counting On star Joseph Duggar celebrated his family in a series of Instagram messages posted four years before his arrest for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old Joseph, 31, and his wife, Kendra Duggar, started an Instagram account for their family in February 2019 but stopped updating it in November 2021. Their final post was published [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,\u201d Bay County, Florida, police said in a statement released on Wednesday. \u201cAs 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\u2019s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bay County police recounted that Joseph \u201ceventually apologized for his actions\u201d and that \u201cthe incidents stopped after the apology.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInvestigators discovered the victim\u2019s father confronted Duggar about these incidents on March 17th, 2026. Duggar admitted his actions to the victim\u2019s father and to Tontitown Detectives,\u201d Florida police added.<\/p>\n

Joseph was ultimately charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older. He was transferred out of the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Friday, March 27, per police records. His whereabouts remain unknown.<\/p>\n

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\n Joseph Duggar mugshot<\/span> Courtesy Tontitown Police Department<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arkansas law enforcement released Joseph\u2019s mugshot<\/a> that same day, describing him as 5\u20199 and 206 lbs at the time of his arrest. In the mugshot, a bearded Joseph appears somber as he stares directly at the camera, wearing a dark gray T-shirt. As of publication, Joseph remains in custody in Arkansas ahead of extradition to Florida.<\/p>\n

Two days later, news broke that the Counting On <\/em>alum is charged with four additional counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, second degree, and four counts of second degree false imprisonment, alongside wife Kendra Duggar<\/strong>. Kendra, 27, was arrested on March 20<\/a> for the same charges and released on bond the same day.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Kendra\u2019s] is a misdemeanor charge totally unrelated to the Florida case,\u201d a rep for the Duggar family<\/a> told\u00a0Us\u00a0<\/em>at the time.<\/p>\n

Fans of 19 Kids and Counting<\/em> and its spinoff show Counting On<\/em> watched Joseph grow up over the course of the TLC reality shows. Counting On<\/em> chronicled Joseph\u2019s courtship and eventual marriage to Kendra. (Joseph and Kendra share four children: Garrett, 7, Addison, 6, Brooklyn, 5, and Justus, 3.)<\/p>\n

The deeply religious Duggar family are no strangers to public controversy. In May 2015, Jim Bob and Michelle\u2019s eldest child, son Josh Duggar<\/strong>, publicly apologized when he was accused in a police report of molesting five girls, two of whom were his sisters, when he was a teenager.<\/p>\n

\u201cI confessed [my actions] to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation,\u201d Josh said at the time. \u201cWe spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

His statement went on, \u201cI would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions. I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God\u2019s grace, mercy and redemption.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josh was forced to apologize once again in August 2015, this time for cheating on his wife, Anna Duggar<\/strong>, when he was identified as a client of the infidelity dating service Ashley Madison as part of a data breach. (Josh and Anna share seven children.)<\/p>\n

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