Jill Duggar is ‘shocked’ after her brother Joseph was arrested for child molestation
Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, released a statement after her brother Joseph Duggar was arrested for child molestation.
The two wrote on the site on Thursday that they were “shocked” when the news was heard on Wednesday of the arrest of the 31-year-old.
“We first heard about anything related to his crimes yesterday through a text message from a friend of ours who sent us a message about the recent media reports of Joseph’s arrest and his admission of molesting a girl in 2020,” the “painful” couple continued.
The couple emphasized that “the most critical is abuse.”
They added, “We support the law and hope that justice will be served.”
Jill, 34, and Dillard, 37, continued to give “love” to Joseph’s wife, Kendra Duggar, and four children.
“We pray that they feel loved and supported during this time as we cannot imagine the unspeakable pain they are feeling as they process and grieve everything,” the post concluded.
Jill posted the same statement on her Instagram account, alongside a broken heart emoji.
While the “Counting On” alum is one of the first members of the Duggar family to publicly respond to Joseph’s legal troubles, Joseph Duggar shared a statement through his attorney.
The “deeply saddened” 38-year-old, who was convicted of sexual assault, lashed out at “how false accusations can destroy lives” and said he lives with the same “painful reality”.
His lawyer told the Daily Mail, “He understands how a person’s focus on appearance can turn reality into an interesting fiction.”
Joseph is currently serving a 12-year sentence – which he is trying to serve – for obtaining and possessing child pornography.
As for Joseph, the businessman is being held in Arkansas’ Washington County Jail awaiting extradition to Bay County, Florida.
He was charged with disorderly conduct and disorderly conduct involving a victim under 12 years of age and disorderly conduct and disorderly conduct involving a victim 18 years of age or older.
A family spokesperson told Page Six that the Duggars do not have a statement.
