Kendra Duggar Charged With Child Endangerment After Husband Joseph Duggar's Arrest

Two days aft reality TV characteristic Joseph Duggar was arrested connected suspicion of molesting a minor, Arkansas constabulary arrested his wife, Kendra Duggar, connected misdemeanor kid maltreatment charges.

Kendra Duggar, 27, arsenic good arsenic Joseph Duggar, 31, face 4 counts each of endangering nan use of a insignificant and second-degree mendacious imprisonment.

According to KNWA, nan Tontitown Police Department confirmed that nan Duggars’ charges successful Arkansas were unrelated to Joseph Duggar’s lawsuit successful Florida. The news outlet reported that Tontitown constabulary said this abstracted investigation was “launched connected nan heels of nan alleged incident successful Florida.”

People Magazine reported that a root adjacent to nan family told nan outlet that nan apprehension was “the consequence of a location inspection, and nan doorway locks being connected nan exterior of nan doors. “

A spokesperson for nan family told People that nan charges revenge against Kendra Duggar were “totally unrelated” to Joseph Duggar’s lawsuit successful Florida. “She’s not suspected aliases accused of participating successful his alleged crime.”

Last week, Joseph Duggar, known for nan TLC bid “19 Kids and Counting,” was arrested 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 Office said it received a study connected Wednesday of past intersexual maltreatment involving Duggar and a 14-year-old girl. The woman alleged respective incidents of maltreatment including 1 erstwhile she was 9 years old, 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.

According to nan statement, nan unfortunate said Duggar “eventually apologized” for nan abuse. Duggar besides “admitted his actions to nan girl’s begetter and to Tontitown detectives” successful Arkansas, Duggar’s location state, rule officials said. The city’s 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, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and his siblings garnered reality TV fame successful 2008 pinch nan motorboat of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting.” The bid followed nan Christian fundamentalist clan who utilized their tv level to preach purity, modesty and belief devotion. The family’s destruction shattered 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 12½ years successful situation successful 2022. The Supreme Court rejected his efforts to entreaty his lawsuit past June.

Amy Duggar Kind, a relative of Joseph and Josh Duggar and bid regular connected “19 Kids and Counting,” released a connection anterior to nan apprehension of Kendra Duggar “praying for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, arsenic she originates to process this, and for nan protection of their children,” and past a follow-up connection erstwhile news of Kendra’s apprehension went public.

“My connection released connected Friday, March 20th was written and submitted earlier I had immoderate knowledge of Kendra Duggar’s arrest,” she wrote.

“When I wrote that I was praying for Kendra ‘as she originates to process this,’ I was speaking to what I believed astatine nan clip — that she was a woman and mother blindsided by devastating news astir her husband. I want that discourse to beryllium unambiguous. Those words were written successful a different moment, pinch different information. The world changed a fewer hours later.

“I person now learned that Kendra Duggar was arrested connected Friday connected 4 counts of second-degree endangering nan use of a insignificant and 4 counts of second-degree mendacious imprisonment. These are superior charges. They are not nan aforesaid arsenic Joseph’s charges, but they are not small, and I will not dainty them arsenic small.

“I americium not going to unreserved to conclusions astir what Kendra knew, erstwhile she knew it, aliases what her domiciled was successful immoderate of this. That is nan occupation of rule enforcement and nan courts, and I spot that process to unfold. What I will opportunity is this: nan infinitesimal a personification faces criminal charges for nan endangerment of children, my prayers shift. They displacement wholly and without apology to nan children.

“To nan 4 children successful that location — I spot you. I believe for you. None of this is your fault, and nary of this is your load to carry.

“To nan original victim, who is now fourteen years aged and has watched this communicative detonate crossed each surface successful nan country: I americium truthful profoundly sorry. You did an incredibly brave point by coming forward. You merit to person each institution astir you activity connected your behalf — not to protect nan group who wounded you, and not to protect nan image of a family. You. I americium still praying for you and your family supra each else.”

Kendra Duggar was booked into nan Washington County Detention Center connected March 20 and released connected a $1,470 enslaved nan aforesaid day.

Times unit writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.