The Duggar family is making headlines again following the arrest of Joseph Duggar for allegedly molesting a minor.
Joseph, the third son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, was arrested by the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas on March 18 after they obtained a warrant from Bay County, Florida, where the alleged incident took place.
The former reality star has been 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, according to a press release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Joseph’s arrest comes more than a decade after his brother Josh Duggar admitted to previously molesting underage girls, including four of his own sisters. Josh was later convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Joseph:
Is Joseph Duggar Married?
Joseph Duggar married his wife, Kendra Duggar, on September 8, 2017, at First Baptist Church in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Joseph was 23 at the time, while Kendra was 19.
Months before the ceremony, Joseph proposed to Kendra during the reception for his sister Joy-Anna Duggar’s wedding to Austin Forsyth. The couple met while attending the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Kendra’s father, Paul Caldwell, was the pastor. Joseph asked Caldwell for permission to court Kendra and later presented her with a promise ring.
Does Joseph Duggar Have Kids?
Joseph Duggar and his wife, Kendra Duggar, share four children. Their first child, son Garrett, arrived in June 2018, with daughter Addison following in November 2019. The couple welcomed their third child, daughter Brooklyn, in February 2021, while their fourth child, son Justus, arrived in mid-2022.
In 2019, Joseph and Kendra started a social media account with the handle @littleduggarfamily to share photos of their little ones.
“We finally decided to get social media! Still trying figure out how it works😆,” they wrote at the time. “Looking forward to keeping y’all updated on our little family💙💙💙.”
How Old Is Joseph Duggar?
Joseph Duggar was born on January 20, 1995, making him 31 at the time of his arrest. He is the seventh child and third son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, arriving between Jinger Duggar (born in 1993) and Josiah Duggar (born in 1996). Josh Duggar, Jana Duggar, Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar are all older than Joseph, while Joy-Anna Duggar, Jedidiah Duggar and Jeremiah Duggar are younger. (Jim Bob and Michelle share 19 children in total.)
What Did Joseph Duggar Say About Josh Duggar’s Crimes?
After Josh Duggar admitted to sexually abusing five girls, his brother Joseph Duggar condemned his behavior in a 2015 episode of Counting On.
“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,” Joseph said of his older brother.
“It broke my heart,” he added. “I don’t think there’s any way any of us would have known that my brother was living such a secret life.”
Is Joseph Duggar Close With His Siblings?
Joseph Duggar appeared on 19 Kids and Counting and the spinoff series Counting On alongside his siblings before TLC cut ties with the family in 2021. He proposed to his wife, Kendra Duggar, during the wedding reception for his sister Joy-Anna Duggar.
Months before his arrest, Joseph was seen in a holiday video shared by his sister Jessa Duggar. Footage from the Duggar family’s annual Christmas costume party was featured in Jessa’s “Holiday Festivities” vlog, which was published on February 9. In the clip, Joseph wore a black bodysuit covered in festive lights, while Kendra was dressed like a Christmas tree.
Why Was Joseph Duggar Arrested?
Joseph Duggar was arrested by the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas on March 18, after they obtained a warrant from Bay County, Florida, where the alleged incident took place. He was 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, according to a press release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Per the press release, Bay County investigators were contacted by a detective from the Tontitown Police Department about a report of past sexual abuse.
The detective conducted an interview with an alleged 14-year-old victim who claimed to have had several incidents involving Joseph in 2020 during a family vacation in Panama City Beach when she was 9 years old. The girl alleged that Joseph repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap. She also claimed that Joseph asked her to sit on the couch next to him and “grazed her genitals” while under a blanket.
The girl told authorities that Joseph “eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology.”
According to investigators, the girl’s father confronted Joseph on March 17. He allegedly admitted his actions to the victim’s father and to Tontitown detectives and is now awaiting extradition to Bay County.
Us Weekly has reached out to the Duggar family for comment.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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