Joseph Duggar, 31, was arrested yesterday, March 18th, in Northwest Arkansas and is awaiting extradition to Bay County on the Florida Panhandle. According to a statement posted to the Facebook page for the Bay County Sheriff's Office, Joseph faces charges involving the molestation of a minor. The alleged incidents took place during a 2020 family vacation in Panama City Beach. The statement says that Joseph "admitted his actions to the victim's father and to Tontitown detectives."
OH NO! This is so tragic! My heart breaks for the poor young girl this happened too and also Joseph's wife and kids. So sad!!
ReplyDeleteI feel sad and sick about this. He seemed to be truly affected by his big brother's sin/crimes way back when those first came out, and he seemed to be a different kind of guy, tenderhearted and loving his wife and family. And maybe all that was genuine at the time, maybe not. It's sad that he didn't deal with the intrusive, twisted thoughts when he first had them. I hope Kendra has strong support, that her kids will be able to have some truly God-loving men of integrity to be examples as they grow up, and that men (and women) who claim to be Christians will truly hunger and thirst after righteousness and get serious about not entertaining sin in their minds.
ReplyDeleteHis brother was arrested in 2021. His allegations are from 2020. So no it wasn't genuine. At that time he had already harmed a kid
DeleteKendra was arrested but on unrelated charges.
DeleteKendra was just arrested.
Delete9:57, I'm referring to comments Joseph made years ago about Josh's actions when Josh was a teen. That was something like 10 years ago.
DeleteWhen one member of a family commits this kind of abuse, it’s tragic and awful but not unheard of. When two siblings in the same family commit similar levels of this kind of abuse… it’s time to look at and analyze how they were raised. How many more Duggar brothers will be arrested on similar charges before people start paying real attention to what went wrong in their upbringing. Prayers for healing for his victim 🙏
ReplyDeleteWhile that may be true in a family with 2 kids, I wouldn't say that 2 out of 19 is statistically proof that their upbringing is the problem. 50% of marriages end in divorce. 75-80% of men are addicted to porn. 40-50% of women are addicted to sleazy romance novels and a growing number are stuck in the porn trap too. I think the majority of families have a relative that is guilty of sexual misconduct. Most never get reported. The difference with the Duggars is that they are conservative people living in a conservative state where you end up paying for your crimes. Gov Newsom just let out two serial child rapists under an "elderly" compassion rule where they consider a man elderly at 50!!
DeleteJoseph is 30 years old. His sin doesn't have anything to do with his parents.
Oh my goodness..what a thing to say. The brothers should be given the benefit of being assumed innocent, your theory does not make sense. It will be interesting to hear all the details of Joseph’s arrest. Adults are individually responsible for their actions, can’t put everything on the parents who provided a loving home.
Delete3/19 @12:36 Well said! Heartbreaking! While it’s not an excuse for his actions, something major has gone wrong in this family as a whole! Prayers🙏🏽
Delete@2:26 "Hurt people hurt others" is a common psychological phenomenon where individuals with unhealed trauma or severe emotional pain repeat harmful behaviors, often to manage their own distress. The trauma can be inflicted by someone outside the immediate family, not necessarily the parents. There can be other reasons, however. People may also hurt others due to low empathy, desire for power, learned toxic behaviors, or sadism. It can be very complicated. That's why I think it's important for the entire Duggar family to seek outside professional counseling/therapy. Two sons being arrested for crimes against children is a huge red flag, IMO.
DeleteI'm as shocked as everyone else is I'm sure. Instead of spewing hatred let's pray for Kendra and their children,and for Joseph because he needs the prayers the most. Sigh. 😓
ReplyDeleteI didn't phrase that correctly. I should have asked for prayers for the little girl first. May God bless her and help her heal.
DeleteI corrected my comment immediately but it was not printed until after the attacks had already begun. I said he needed the prayers the most with the hope that it would prevent him from ever doing it again to another child.I admitted I should have stated the girl who was violated needs the prayers first. Had my correction been posted immediately there would be no misunderstanding. We should also have the option of removing our own comment if we phrased it wrong. I'm human like anyone else and we all make mistakes in how we convey a message at times.
DeleteHopefully the authorities will make sure he never does it to another child again. Prayers might not stop him but cell bars will.
DeleteI am sad to hear this. I pray for the victim and for Joseph and his family. I am glad he admitted what he did instead of denying it.
ReplyDeleteWow. What a shock and this seems like history repeating itself. I hope it can be handling without publicity and more pain for the rest of the family.
ReplyDeleteThat poor victim! And Kendra and the children. What a tragedy. I hope Kendra divorces him .
ReplyDeleteAs a mother and grandmother I would never, ever, ever allow my children/grandchildren around this family, especially the sons! Twenty per cent now have either confessed or been found guilty of sexual crimes against children. I would have to wonder how many other children have been abused and had not had the support or voice to stand up and speak. I feel so badly for Kendra and her children! As a mother she must be scared if this happened in her own home with her own children! This entire family needs prayers but they also need to realize God humbles those who are/were proud. Please people, be careful who you allow your children to be around and what always ask about the supervision!
ReplyDeleteAt least he admitted it, so there won't be an embarrassing trial. I always liked Kendra and thought she was a genuinely kind and unselfish person. I am so sad for her-- she trusted her father to choose an appropriate husband for her, and Joe seemed to fit in well with her family. She was never taught to be independent though, and I wonder what will happen to her now. I could never stay in a relationship with a man that was attracted to children.
ReplyDeleteThere will still be a trial, even with a confession.
DeleteI hope every Duggar son is quaking in his boots right now and examining his past, present, and future. I hope every girl who married a Duggar boy is having a very serious talk with their husband right now. This is not good and there is definitely a pattern here. A pattern that shares Jim Bob and Michelle as the common denominator. They never instilled the right values in their sons, no matter what they said when the cameras were rolling. They let one off easy and openly defended and downplayed his actions (remember that famous TV interview?). They set a bad example for the rest of the boys. Their entire IBLP/patriarchal system relied on male dominance, blame-passing, secrecy, victim-shaming, and looking the other way. All dangerous behaviors in society. I'm glad the victim in this case was brave enough to speak out and her father brave enough to take action immediately.
ReplyDeleteIt’s unfair to judge the other brothers..no one would want that stigma just because they are related..can’t choose your relatives.
Delete@8:44 People tried to say the same thing after Josh did everything he did, and now look what else has come to light. Josh and Joe were raised the same way by the same parents How many other families do you know who have two sons who got in trouble like this? Doesn't it make you wonder why this family has had such ongoing problems?
DeleteI wonder why it took years to come out? Also years for corrective action to take place?
ReplyDeleteYou need not wonder. It is well studied and known that victims of this kind of abuse often never report or do so later for many reasons. In this case the victim was a young child and likely may have felt confusion, shame, and fear. You can easily google about delayed reporting of this kind of abuse and get a better understanding.
DeleteIt took years to "come out" to the public. Who knows when Joe, Kendra, or any other Duggars had even an inkling of what took place and possibly kept it quiet. Do you remember being 9 years old or even 14 years old? I do, and an adult friend of my parents' tried something like this with me. I was able to stop him and escape before anything really bad (in my mind) happened. But it traumatized me enough that I never told my parents, for fear of causing even more trouble, more embarrassment, whatever. And I felt I had some sort of "power" over this man, making him worried all the time that I would tell his secret someday. That was the logic I could make out of the situation. I was 14, the exact age of the girl involved here when she was able to come forward. She was only 9 when it happened, a very young and innocent age. Good for her for finally being able to tell a parent! Good for her father for doing something about it. Joe probably knew it was coming someday (by how quickly he admitted), and who knows who else in his family knew too but kept quiet, especially after what happened to Josh. P.S. - The memory of something like this never leaves you, no matter how many decades pass or how many people pass on. So I'm not surprised 5 years passed, given the original age of the victim.
DeleteThe poor child may have just realized that what happened to her was wrong. She may have just now had the guts to tell her parents
Delete@4:04 Because innocent 9 year olds don't have the right words and the maturity to say anything, and abusers know this. Corrective action is now taking place as "immediately" as possible, which is good. Joe may have apologized to the girl (for what that's worth) back then, but he sure didn't admit anything to authorities until the victim spoke out to her father and the father took the next steps. If Kendra or any of the other family members knew before this, that's on them. It could well be another case of "keep the cameras rolling and keep smiling," the way it was when Josh's teenage actions were handled so badly.
DeleteOnce found out immediate corrective action was taken. For her to say at 14 is actually quick .
DeleteThe girl just told her dad and her dad immediately confronted Joseph and called the police, before that no one else was aware that it had happened
DeleteAccording to reports, the victim is now 14, and was only 9 when the crime took place. Children can be intimidated or shamed into not reporting assault.
Delete@12:46 Joe was aware. Kendra might have been, if she witnessed anything unusual or if Joe told her anything. Joe admitted to apologizing to the victim already, at the time. Five years later, something triggered the victim to speak to her father. She may not have realized what that type of assault was before now or may not have had the courage to speak up.
DeleteSix years is not long at all. It took me 20 years to report it, that was after the molester was deceased.
DeleteWhat a tragedy!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for his wife and children. One perverted son is an anomaly, two is the beginning of a pattern. Hopefully it stops here with this family!
ReplyDeleteAmazing that he would engage in that sort of behavior after Josh harmed his sister in such a way.
ReplyDelete5:24 - SisterS, plural, as well as another female. But remember, it was all hidden and then explained away as not being as bad as what other families experienced. That's what Joe witnessed and grew up around. Actions without real punishment, until the feds caught up with Josh, as they should have.
DeleteNo it's actually common that these things run in families especially since according to some the grandfather was questionable
DeleteI always wondered exactly what went on at that car lot and how many guys were there with access to what Josh had downloaded, among other things. Can't help but wonder if Joe was influenced at a young age and nobody in the family knew (other than the brothers) or cared to stop it.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Grandpa Duggar? Very, very sad. Praying for Joseph, Kendra and their kids, and also Jim Bob and Michelle. This has to be incredibly hard on them. Also prayers for the victim.
ReplyDeleteThe Grandpa Duggar story that was explained by Jim Bob's sister was one of physical punishment type abuse, not "touching." The angry choking incident. Nobody has said much detail beyond that, only hinted at danger. Amy is relating only what her mother warned her about, not any particular incidents.
DeleteHow many more will be exposed? If there's one, hey.... maybe just a bad seed. But TWO? There's, unfortunately, more. Wherever this behavior originated, needs to be disciplined as well.
ReplyDeletePraying for everyone affected by his bad decisions..,a lifetime of pain…
ReplyDeleteLabeling abuse of a child as a “bad decision” is shameful.
DeleteI am enraged about this situation. Statistics show each predator has between 50-100 victims.
ReplyDeleteSad. I’m sorry this happened. A momentary loss of control. God bless him.
ReplyDeleteThis is a vile take and way to describe abuse of a child. Furthermore, his own confessions point to repeated incidents, not a “momentary” mistake. This is simply disgusting.
DeleteA momentary loss? Behavior like this is deeply rooted, not spur of the moment. Joe was an adult married man with kids of his own. Those thoughts were already there. Scary, isn't it.
DeleteSo this happened in 2020. He was 25 years old and married for 3 years with two children. The poor innocent child was 9 years old. This is twisted beyond belief. It makes no sense as there are natural aversions to this type of behavior - unless as a child .............
ReplyDeleteThat last sentence is key & their cousin Amy was very insightful in her book. I don’t condone his behavior at all but… lest history repeat itself yet again. All of the kids should’ve received counseling, etc.That’s where JB & Michelle really dropped the ball & effectively failed their children! Their cuz Amy's book was very insightful it stems from the grandfather.
Delete6:00 nothing in Amy’s book regarding the grandfather has been verified. Amy has an ax to grind and is set to put shame on the parents. When serial murders are researched the evidence shows the parents are usually not to blame for their decisions as adults.
Delete9:31 You're forgetting that Josh's crimes, which were never properly reported, first happened when he was a minor. His was not an adult decision. He was still living at home, still being raised and influenced by his parents.
DeleteJoseph would have been the family member i least would have expected something like this prayers for Kendra and children
ReplyDeleteAgree prayers & more prayers going up!
DeleteI believe, according to cousin Amy, grandpa Duggar was a pedophile/sex offender. Why the adults knowing this would allow him to live under their roof.
ReplyDeleteThe one married to Grandma Mary??
DeleteYes
DeleteMy heart breaks for Kendra, her babies and the victim.
ReplyDeleteIf this isn't a message to all the kids that they can't rely on their famous name to produce social media income the rest of their lives, I don't know what is.
ReplyDeleteI am shocked. I thought he was a sweet man. He did this crime after Josh was already arrested. I cant believe the repercussions didn’t scare him enough to not follow through on his sick thoughts.
ReplyDelete@8:35 No - that's not the timeline. 2002-2003 was Josh's incidents with his sisters and another girl. 2015, Josh admitted to the Ashley Madison affair. 2019, agents raided the car lot. 2021, Josh was arrested. Joe's (alleged) crime happened in 2020, after the car lot raid but before Josh's arrest. Think of the actual repercussions to anyone before 2021.
DeleteThis happened a year before his brother was arrested. He should ahve learned from what his brothers did to his sisters.
DeleteIt's clear to me that religious beliefs are not a prerequisite for being a good person or knowing right from wrong. That two male members of the same devoutly religious family have engaged in crimes against children and both have children of their own, is disturbing to say the least.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised there are now 2 sons in trouble. It's not hard to imagine that computer savvy Josh would give access to his computer(s) to his brothers. Not that one thing would lead directly to another, but I feel there was definitely a way to defeat all safeguards the parents thought they had put in place. I can envision one brother showing things to another, as kids do, especially when they know it's something forbidden and therefore exciting. These kids had no access to mainstream books, movies, or TV shows. But they did have computer and phone access, and Josh knew how to work around site tracking methods.
Delete11:43 yes I agree..I think there were more than Josh involved in that car place scandal.
DeleteWhen I saw this on YouTube I skipped over it because I thought it was false information but now I have seen it here so I must wonder why two sons of this Christian family are messed up. They have wives and children.
ReplyDeleteJust because somebody is Christian doesn't mean they are immune from doing awful things. Some people use the fact they are Christian to try to get themselves out of consequences, it's why some denominations of Christianity do nothing about CSA in their churches.
DeleteWhat do wives and children have to do with it?
DeleteHe appeared to be so nice and a good Christian. However, people are not indicted and arrested without evidence to support accusations against them I hope Joe will accept responsibility for any crime he committed and the punishment that goes with it.
ReplyDeletePoof. His carefully crafted image is gone. I hope there are no more skeletons in the closet and that his victim gets justice.
ReplyDeleteJim Bob's carefully crafted image too.
DeleteThis is heartbreaking!
ReplyDelete1:03 PM Joseph needs the prayers the most? Really? He's a lost cause at this point. Maybe pray for his victim instead.
ReplyDeleteWell said 2:53 I couldn’t agree more!
DeleteKNWA (tv station) is now (late Friday afternoon) reporting that the Tontitown police have added additional charges. Four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and 4 counts of second-degree false imprisonment of a minor. Four being the significant number here...
ReplyDeleteKendra is in custody as well now. What is happening?!
ReplyDeleteIm wondering why it took so long to come out, and why corrective action is finally taking place?
ReplyDeleteNow Kendra. For stuff in home state. It is fine to have a lot of kids. It is fine to be Christian. This family has been lying to us. There are other families with a lot of kids who are Christian to be excited about.
ReplyDeleteWhy should we be excited about Christian families, or any families, with a lot of kids?
DeleteThey sure fooled me! This couple is the last one I would expect to be in this situation.
DeleteDidn't really lie to all of us, not those who stuck around trying to figure out what exactly was off about the family. That became more and more clear. Actions speak louder than words.
DeleteNow Kendra has been charged also
ReplyDeleteAnd now Kendra has charges against her as well.
ReplyDeleteI read Kendra was arrested. I hope that isn't true
ReplyDeleteI give him credit for admitting he did do this heinous act. He did well married too. Feel bad for the girl he did this too
ReplyDeletewhy are u giving him credit he has only admitted it because he has been found out
DeleteKendra has been arrested as well.
ReplyDeleteEveryone seems to be in such a rush of judgement. It sounds like the local police department is laser centered on the Duggars. CPS called for something regarding their four children, I’m not rushing to judgement. Remember when Jana was charged with one of those counts while babysitting, her charge was cleared up. If I were the rest of the Duggar children I would think about leaving that area.
ReplyDeleteJoe’s charge of abuse of the child is in Florida; the local dept executed the arrest because he was there. He also confessed to his crimes, according the the Florida dept that issued the charge. Saying the local PD is out to get them doesn’t logically follow any of this. It seems you just prefer to believe that.
DeleteWhenever children are in danger, someone should be laser focused! You're also forgetting that Joe admitted to the girl's father and to the police. I don't know how that adds up to a rush to judgement.
DeleteJana's charge wasn't "cleared up." She pleaded guilty and had to pay an $880 fine. That's what it took to settle the case. They didn't "clear" it, as in clear it off the books like it never happened. The Duggars aren't going to leave that area. It's their kind of state and they are friends with politicians and police force there. Or at least were...
DeleteAmen!
DeleteGirl he literally confessed
Delete12:49 neither one of them confessed to child endangerment charges
Delete8:59 - Jana had to pay over $800 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. The charge wasn't "cleared up" as in somehow it went away without any punishment. She had to pay the fine to the court. She wasn't arrested or booked like Kendra and Joe. She had a citation that had to be paid. Her incident was also investigated by "child welfare" as she called it. Depending on the severity of Kendra's charge, she may also end up paying a fine, or be facing probation and/or jail. Time will tell.
DeleteI read that Kendra had been arrested also but out on bail?? Not meaning to add any rumor as some find pleasure with anything bad happening to this family but this is truly heartbreaking. Something is seriously wrong and should be investigated.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be growing even uglier as more information comes out. The police in Florida were quite specific about what Joe's victim reported and it appears the entire family ifnored Joe's inappropriate interest in his victim but did nothing to protect here. Kendra also seems to be in trouble with the local police. Who knows what will happen next.
ReplyDeleteChild molestation is demonic. ALWAYS. There is NO EXCUSE. I'm thankful for law enforcement.
ReplyDeleteThank you to this blog for allowing us to express our thoughts about this. I'm sure it was not expected, and once again, not exactly the image of the family this blog had hoped to highlight. So thank you. It shows how fair you've tried to be, especially as everyone processes all these new developments and wants to talk about them or ask questions. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo, Joe did this (I hesitate to say allegedly) almost 6 years ago and has had to live with the fear of being caught since then. If he even had any fear. Maybe he thought his apology to the victim was enough and nothing more would come from it? Then he saw what happened to his brother a year after. Must have crossed Joe's mind at some point that he could also face consequences. Yet he continued to remain quiet, remain married, and have more kids. I cannot wrap my head around all that or how any of it aligns with the Biblical principles supposedly instilled in him growing up. Was he continually fed the family's IBLP party line while knowingly disobeying? Just like Josh? This is all so unbelievable, but sadly, in a way believable at the same time, when you examine their lifestyle and what was going on in the household. So many innocent victims were hurt because of that. Just amazing that nothing could stop this, not parents, not spouses, not morals, not responsibilities, not consciences.
ReplyDeleteI'm flabbergasted. According to the report, Joe sat on the couch in the living room, molested this girl and no one else in the family noticed it was going on. How could they be that oblivious??
ReplyDelete