Joseph Duggar Of ‘19 Kids And Counting,’ Charged With Child Sex Abuse, Awaits Extradition To Florida

Another personnel of nan Duggar family, celebrated for nan TLC bid “19 Kids and Counting,” faces allegations of kid activity abuse.

Joseph Duggar, nan 31-year-old boy of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and nan younger relative of convicted activity offender Josh Duggar, was arrested Wednesday day successful Arkansas by section rule enforcement connected suspicion of molesting a insignificant successful Florida, nan Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced successful a statement. The sheriff’s agency said it received a study connected Wednesday of past intersexual maltreatment allegedly involving Duggar and a 14-year-old girl. The woman alleged she was 9 years aged during 1 of respective alleged incidents, constabulary said.

The teenager, according to rule enforcement, accused Duggar of molesting her successful 2020 while she was vacationing pinch family and staying astatine a residence successful Panama City Beach. He is accused of rubbing nan girl’s genitals and rubbing her thighs.

According to nan statement, nan unfortunate said Duggar “eventually apologized” for nan abuse, and he stopped rubbing her. Duggar had besides “admitted his action’s to nan girl’s begetter and to Tontitown detectives successful Arkansas, Duggar’s location state, rule officials said. The Tontitown Police Department confirmed Duggar’s apprehension successful a abstracted statement, noting it acted connected a warrant issued by nan Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The erstwhile reality prima was charged pinch molestation of a unfortunate younger than 12 and “lewd and lascivious behaviour conducted” by an adult. Duggar, who is presently jailed astatine nan Washington County Detention Center, awaits extradition to Florida. He could not instantly beryllium reached for comment.

Joseph Duggar, his parents and his siblings — whose first names besides statesman pinch nan missive J — became unexpected reality TV stars pinch nan premiere of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” successful 2008. The bid followed nan elephantine family, highlighting their Christian fundamentalist lifestyle. The family’s once-charming destruction of purity and belief devotion quickly faded successful 2015 erstwhile Josh, nan firstborn Duggar child, was accused of molesting 5 younger girls — 4 of whom were his sisters — erstwhile he was 15. The bid was canceled that year.

In a abstracted case, Josh was convicted connected 2 counts of possessing and receiving kid pornography successful December 2021. He was sentenced to 12 ½ years successful situation in 2022. The Supreme Court rejected his efforts to entreaty his lawsuit past June.

Fifteen years aft nan premiere of “19 Kids and Counting,” nan series, nan Duggar family and their devotion to nan Institute successful Basic Life Principles were taxable to adjacent scrutiny successful nan Prime Video docuseries “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets.”

Jill Diillard, nan second-eldest Duggar girl and 1 of Josh’s victims, said retired for nan 2023 docuseries.

“I judge powerfully that victims should ever beryllium protected. Victims should ever beryllium cared for,” she said. “You’re retired there, your story’s retired there. … I’d alternatively person immoderate opportunity successful what that looks like.”