Joseph Duggar, whose family starred in the reality show 19 Kids and Counting on TLC, was arrested on Wednesday (March 18) for alleged lewd behavior involving a 9-year-old girl.
His older brother, Josh, is serving a 12-year prison sentence for possessing inappropriate images of children. Josh was also accused of inappropriate behavior toward his younger sisters, leading to the cancellation of the show.
Highlights
- Joseph Duggar had condemned his older brother Josh’s misconduct before his own arrest.
- Josh was accused of inappropriate behavior toward his younger sisters before being arrested for downloading lewd illegal content.
- Joseph and Josh starred in the TLC reality show ‘19 Kids and Counting,’ which followed them and their 17 siblings.
Image credits: LittleDuggarFamily
Trigger warning: this article contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.
Years before his own arrest, Joseph had condemned his older brother’s behavior, saying he was heartbroken to learn about Josh’s “secret life.”
During a 2015 episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, Joseph said, “Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you’d never think that that’s the person who’s involved in it.”
He said he was surprised that his brother was living “such a secret life,” adding, “It broke my heart.”
Image credits: Bay County Sheriff’s Office
Josh was accused of m*lesting five children, including four of his sisters.
In 2022, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for receiving and possessing child p*rnography. He is currently serving time at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Seagoville in Texas.
Joseph did not speak out against his older brother during the trial.
Joseph, 31, was arrested for alleged lewd behavior involving a 9-year-old girl during a family vacation
Image credits: LittleDuggarFamily
The Duggar family rose to fame on the reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting, which documented the lives of parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar as they raised their 19 children, whose names all begin with the letter J.
On Wednesday, Joseph, 31, was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful s*xual activity with a minor.
The incidents allegedly took place in 2020 when the victim was 9 years old during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Image credits: Newsy Entertainment
“According to the investigation, the incidents took place in 2020 while the family was staying at a residence on Danny Drive,” the Bay County Sheriff’s Office stated.
The victim, now 14 years old, accused Joseph of repeatedly asking her to sit on his lap and touching her thighs, underwear, and privates while sitting on the couch with her as he covered her with a blanket.
She said Joseph apologized for the behavior and stopped after the apology.
Image credits: Instagram
In a statement, police said the victim's father confronted Joseph about the incidents the day before his arrest. The perpetrator reportedly admitted to his actions first to the victim’s father and later to authorities.
Joseph was arrested in Arkansas and will be extradited to Bay County, Florida.
He is married to Kendra Caldwell, with whom he shares three children.
Image credits: TLC
19 Kids and Counting began airing in 2008 but was canceled in 2015 after molestation allegations surfaced against Josh.
The eldest of the Duggar children was accused of m*lesting four of his sisters, including Jill and Jessa, when he was a teenager.
"Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends," Josh wrote in a statement in 2015.
Image credits: Instagram
"I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation," he continued.
"We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling.”
Josh also shared an apology after publicly admitting to cheating on his wife.
The Duggar parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, were accused of covering up their son’s lewd behavior.
Image credits: LittleDuggarFamily
Following TLC’s decision to axe the show, the parents said in a statement that they hope "the painful situation" the family went through "can point people toward faith in God and help others who also have lived through similar dark situations to find help, hope, and healing as well."
Image credits: LittleDuggarFamily
In 2023, a four-part docuseries titled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets explored the allegations against the infamous family, including how the parents joined a "cult" known as the Institute for Basic Life Principles (IBLP) when they were young.
The leader of the institution, Bill Gothard, reportedly left his position following allegations of s*xual harassment involving young girls. He has denied the accusations.
Image credits: J Aubrey
In the 2023 docuseries, Jill, one of the Duggar sisters, said IBLP "can foster this cult-like environment." She also revealed that she felt pressured by her parents to join the spinoff Counting On in 2015 after the original show was canceled.
"I didn't want to but at the same time I've never said no to my family before," Jill said.
"It's this whole 'umbrellas of authority' thing. That was ingrained in me. I felt like, if I said no, I am not obeying my parents and bad things are gonna happen to me."
Jim Bob and Michelle blasted the documentary, calling it "derogatory and sensationalized."