Joseph Duggar‘s Cousin, Amy Duggar King, has spoken up in light of his recent arrest on child molestation charges.
Amy didn’t mince words as she slammed her cousin, saying she’s “sickened” but not “surprised” by the allegation.
Joseph Duggar’s siblings, Josh and Jill, have also spoken out about the situation, with Josh, who is currently in prison, slamming the allegations as “false” while Jill wants the law to take its course.
Amy Duggar Says She’s ‘Sickened’ But Not ‘Surprised’ By Joseph’s Arrest
Amy Duggar King has broken her silence on the arrest of her cousin Joseph Duggar, noting that she is “angry” with the situation.
“In light of the recent allegations involving my cousin, Joseph Duggar, I am sickened, heartbroken, and deeply angry,” she said in a statement before going on to commend the alleged victim for her “bravery” in speaking up.
“My first thoughts are with the victim, a child who deserved to be safe, protected, and surrounded by people she could trust,” she continues. “The courage it took for her to come forward, especially after years of carrying something so heavy, cannot be overstated. That bravery deserves to be honored above all else.”
The 39-year-old then added in the statement that she was “utterly shocked to hear about these allegations and Joseph’s arrest,” however, at the same time, she is “not surprised that another alleged predator has emerged from this toxic system.”
Amy Duggar’s Other Cousin, Josh, Is In Prison For A Similar Issue
Amy’s statement about “another alleged predator” seems to be in reference to her older cousin Josh’s 2021 arrest for crimes related to child pornography.
Josh, alongside his siblings and parents, all featured on the reality TV show “19 Kids and Counting,” where viewers got to witness their devout Christian lives as they went through different phases.
However, cracks started to form on the Wall in 2015 when he was accused of molesting 5 girls as a teenager, two of whom were his younger sisters, Jill and Jessa.
He also dabbled in child pornography, as the DOJ alleged he used the “dark web and online file-sharing software” to download “child sexual abuse material from the internet multiple times.”
He was arrested in 2021 and was found guilty of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. Josh was eventually sentenced to 12 and a half years behind bars and is expected to be released in late 2032.
Amy Duggar Doubles Down On Her Stance For ‘Truth’ Even At Her Family’s Expense
In her statement, Amy didn’t hold back as she vehemently stated that she stands for truth, even though it meant “going against” her family.
“For years, I have spoken out about the importance of truth, accountability, and protecting children, even when it meant going against my own family,” Amy said.
She continued, “Family ties should never equal automatic trust or access, especially when it comes to the safety of children. When an image is protected over truth, and silence is chosen over accountability, it creates an environment where abuse can thrive.”
Amy Duggar Shows Support For Her Cousin, Joseph’s Wife
She also commented on how she had used her voice to “expose the darkness and advocate for the protection of children” by writing her book titled “Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the Truth.”
Amy then said that she was “praying for the victim and her family as they walk through what is sure to be an incredibly difficult road ahead.”
She added, “Recognizing that we do not yet know the full picture, I am also praying for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, as she begins to process this, and for the protection of their children. I’m praying for eyes to be opened and above all, I pray that justice will be served to the fullest.”
Joseph Duggar Waived Extradition Rights
Joseph was arrested on Wednesday by the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas after being accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2020, during a family vacation to Panama City Beach.
He has been charged with one count of lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and a second count of lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying the now-14-year-old victim reported that Joseph “repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,” and as the vacation continued, “he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket.”
“During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs,” the Department said.
According to reports, Joseph made his first court appearance in an Arkansas courthouse via Zoom on Friday, March 20, and waived his rights to an extradition hearing.
He was earlier booked into the Washington County, Arkansas jail and was awaiting extradition to Bay County to face his charges.