Josh Duggar wasn’t pleased with his family’s reaction following the revelation of his scandalous past.
The oldest of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar’s 19 children poured his heart out to his mother in a recently released message from jail. In it, the convicted sex offender lamented the response to his crime of molesting four of his sisters.
The newly released message comes days after a text exchange between Josh Duggar and his mom revealed he was heartbroken that several family members had turned their backs on him.
Josh Duggar Wanted More Family Support Following His Molestation Scandal
In a message sent to his mother, Michelle, from jail, Josh penned his grievances against the Duggar household. He explained that it was difficult living as an inmate while everyone was going about their day without caring about his well-being.
Josh stressed that life was “especially hard in light of how things have been since May 2015.” His words referenced the scandalous revelation that he had molested four of his sisters when he was a teenager. He noted the family’s response to the incident “devastated” him and his wife, Anna Duggar.
Josh, in the message obtained by PEOPLE, acknowledged that Michelle had supported him “privately.” Although he was “grateful” for his mother’s love behind the scenes, Josh stated that it felt as though “there were 18 kids and life went on.”
The Convicted Sex Offender Believes His Family Chose Fame Over Him
Josh listed some of the ways the Duggar clan had broken his heart, including cutting him off from their reality TV show, being “kept at arm’s length by most of the family,” and no one coming together to stand with him and his wife, Anna.
The grievances continued, with Josh arguing that he felt “the public statements and pr work to save shows and public images” were placed above family relationships, and he believed they “still are to this day.” He also blamed his mother for falling in the same boat.
According to Josh, Michelle was more worried about PR than anything else. He claimed he wasn’t trying to shift the blame but hoped his mother would reconsider her role, “and change so that other children are not in the same situations later.”
The ’19 Kids And Counting’ Alum Slammed Those Who Turned Against Him
The new message was released days after the outlet covered the lengthy text message Josh once sent to his mother. He ranted about the family members who turned against him following his 2021 conviction on receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Josh lamented having to deal with the criticism, judgment, and hurtful comments from family members after receiving love and support from strangers. He declared that some of these relatives showed “less character” than “non-believers,” adding:
“[E]ven just to be quiet and shut up and not say anything, but no, its [sic] like they enjoy it and they have been waiting to ambush me.”
The Oldest Of The Duggar Children Maintained His Innocence
Josh claimed that if the tables turned, he wouldn’t treat his family members the way they reacted to his scandals, opting for love and support. He also doubled down on his innocence in the child sexual abuse material case, arguing that he was set up.
According to Josh, he was “struggling with raw pain and hurts [sic] not only from family members but also from “the guy who did the crime that put me in here.” The messages he sent to Michelle were released days after he unveiled his dire financial situation.
The Blast reported in late April that Josh had represented himself in a plea for help. He explained to the court that he had no money or means of obtaining funds, alleging there was only $0.22 in his account at the time of the legal filing. Josh acknowledged his family occasionally sent him money, but he hadn’t received any recently.
Josh Duggar’s Prison Time Was Extended After A Prison Rule Violation
Days after Josh’s request for relief broke, The Blast shared that his prison sentence had been extended due to rule violations. The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that the convicted sex offender would spend an additional two months behind bars.
The extension saw Josh’s release date getting pushed back to February 2, 2033. His cousin, Amy Duggar, also confirmed the news in a social media post. She explained that the disgraced Duggar was once again in solitary confinement for violating prison rules.
The incident marked the third time Josh’s prison sentence has been extended. Following his 2021 guilty conviction on receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material, Josh was ordered to serve 151 months in federal prison, and his initial release date was August 2032.