Family of Jill Duggar Dillard Reacts After Brother Joseph’s Arrest
After Joseph Duggar was arrested, Jill Duggar Dillard’s family has come forward with their reaction.
Following the arrest on Wednesday, March 18, 31-year-old Joseph was charged by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office with two counts of child sex abuse in relation to a 2020 incident of a 9-year-old girl, who along with her family, was vacationing in Panama City Beach, Florida.
On the next day, March 19, Jill and the rest of the family came out with a post on the Dillard Family blog addressing the matter. “We were really surprised last night when we found out about the arrest of Jill’s brother (Joseph Duggar), ” they stated.
Further in their note, they said, “The first thing we heard about his charges was from a friend who sent us a text regarding the media reports of Joseph’s arrest and his alleged confession of molesting a juvenile female in 2020. We are totally shocked and deeply saddened.”
Jill Duggar Dillard’s Family Condemns Abuse After Joseph Duggar’s Arrest
Jill Duggar Dillard’s family continued their statement following Joseph Duggar’s arrest, strongly condemning the alleged actions and expressing support for the victim.
“We strongly condemn abuse. We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved. Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family,” the message read. “We pray God gives her strength, comfort and hope, and that she is able to get all the help and support she needs and deserves in the days ahead.”
The family also expressed concern for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, and their four children. “We love our sister-in-law, Kendra, and our four nieces and nephews and pray that they feel loved and supported during this time as we cannot imagine the indescribable pain they feel as they process and grieve everything,” the statement continued.
The post concluded with lines from two Bible verses, reflecting the family’s faith during the difficult time.
Jill Duggar Released Family Statement After Joseph Duggar’s Detention
Being a mother of three and having married Derick Dillard in June 2014, Jill Duggar Dillard likewise published the family’s statement via Instagram along with a broken heart emoji.
The Duggars made their fame through TLC’s show 19 Kids and Counting which was broadcasted from 2008 till 2015.
It was on Wednesday when the Bay County Sheriff’s Department declared that ex-reality star Joseph Duggar was booked into the Washington County, Arkansas jail at 3:59 p.m. local time, PEOPLE confirmed. He was held up for extradition to Bay County to face the charges.
A source reported that, Joseph Duggar had requested the girl to sit on his lap, and this is where the abuse took place. The office said that in the later developments he made the victim sit next to him on a couch and draped a blanket over them as the vacation went on. At that time, the police claim that he manipulated the girl’s underwear, grazed her genitals, and rubbed his hands on her thighs.”
Joseph Duggar is reported to have admitted to abuse before his court hearing
Bay County Sheriff’s Office said that the victim stated Joseph Duggar ultimately apologized to her and the alleged incidents ceased after the apology.
The authorities mentioned that the victim, who is 14 years old now, in the end, agreed to a forensic interview in relation to a report of sexual abuse in the past. Investigators further noted that her father physically confronted Joseph about the accusations, and Joseph reportedly confessed his deeds to both the father and Tontitown police.
PEOPLE has learned through jail records that Joseph will be in court on March 20, Friday.
Josh Duggar’s Old Scandals Contribute to the Family’s Lengthy Legal Problems.
Joseph Duggar’s arrest appears alongside the huge legal problems that Josh Duggar, his brother, has been facing. In 2015, Josh openly confessed to having sexually molested several young girls when he was a teenager. Among the girls were his sisters Jill Duggar Dillard and Jessa Duggar Seewald.
The ex-reality TV star, currently 38, confessed using Ashley Madison to have an affair outside the marriage and then later admitted to entering rehab for pornography addiction.
Josh and his wife Anna Duggar are parents to seven children.
Josh Duggar Gets 12 Year Prison Sentence for Child Sexual Abuse Material
Josh Duggar’s legal problems took a turn for the worse when in May 2019 he reportedly used “dark web and online file-sharing software” to download “child sexual abuse material from the internet multiple times, ” according to the Department of Justice.
Homeland Security arrested him in 2021, and after that, he was found guilty of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. Josh was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison and is supposed to be released in August 2032.
