Josh Duggar’s sister, Jill, and her husband Derick, have broken their silence over the child pornography arrest of the former 19 Kids and Counting star.
Jill and Derick spoke to The Sun about Josh’s recent arrest on two counts of child pornography with Jill saying: ‘We’re very sad about the whole thing, it’s horrible. It’s all very sad. Josh’s wife Anna is pregnant with their seventh child, I cannot imagine how she is feeling.’
Derick told the news outlet that ‘obviously if there is anything there related to child pornography, we hope that justice is done’.
‘I don’t think anybody supports child pornography. We’re sad for Anna, put yourself in her situation and imagine how you would feel if that happened with your family member. I imagine it would be really hard,’ he added.
Josh, the 33-year-old former 19 Kids and Counting star, pleaded not guilty to federal charges on Friday during a virtual court hearing during which he was ordered to live with a third party with no children if he is granted bond.
Josh Duggar’s sister, Jill, and her husband Derick (together), have broken their silence over the child pornography arrest of the former 19 Kids and Counting star
‘We’re very sad about the whole thing, it’s horrible. It’s all very sad,’ Jill (right with her husband) said. Josh Duggar (left) pleaded not guilty to federal child porn charges on Friday during a virtual court hearing
He is charged with receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Josh’s other sister, Jinger, and her husband, Jeremy, have also reacted to Duggar’s charges after they were made public Friday.
‘We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh. While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice,’ the couple wrote in a statement shared to Instagram.
Duggar’s parents and fellow 19 Kids and Counting stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar also issued a statement Friday.
‘We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious,’ they said in the statement obtained by People magazine.
‘It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner.’ They added: ‘We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family.’
Speaking to The Sun, Amy, 34, said: ‘At the moment I have no comment to make. I’m kind of speechless, we just hope it’s not true.
‘I spoke with several of my cousins after we heard about the arrest. We’re in shock, but we don’t want to think the worst of someone, you want to think the best. If it is true it would absolutely devastate a lot of people.’
Amy added: ‘Everybody that knows Josh would be devastated. Just thinking about it makes me want to have a glass of wine right now.’
Josh Duggar was taken into custody in Springdale, Arkansas, on Thursday after turning himself in but the charges were not announced at the time.
Josh’s other sister Jinger (center) and her husband Jeremy Vuolo (left) have also reacted to Duggar’s charges after they were made public Friday. ‘We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh,’ the couple said, adding that they absolutely condemn any form of child abuse
Jinger (right) and Vuolo (left) met on a missionary trip to Central America in 2015, and were married in November the next year
According to the indictment, he is alleged to have downloaded child sexual abuse material online in May 2019. Some of the child pornography material he is accused of possessing shows children under the age of 12.
If convicted, Duggar faces up to 20 years in prison.
Josh Duggar’s sister and brother-in-law, Jessa and her husband Ben Seewald, also spoke out after he pleaded not guilty to receiving and possessing child pornography.
The couple took to their respective Instagram Stories on Saturday to share the same statement explaining they are “saddened” to learn of the allegations and are eager for the ‘truth to be exposed.’
‘We are saddened to hear of the charges against Josh,’ the statement reads. “As Christians, we stand against any form of pornography or abuse and we desire for the truth to be exposed, whatever that may be. Our prayers are with their family as they walk through this difficult time.’
Prior to the charges being formally announced, a source told The Sun that his wife was ‘standing by’ him and accompanied him to the police station.
His arrest followed a Homeland Security raid on his now-closed car dealership, Wholesale Motorcars, in Springdale, Arkansas back in November 2019. He was not charged at the time.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar said they still loved Josh and were praying for him after his arrest
His parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, rose to fame on the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting which documented their family life in rural Arkansas and raising their kids in a devout Christian Baptist environment.
The arrest marks Duggar’s latest brush with the law after his father reported him to police in 2006 for allegedly molesting five young girls over multiple occasions back when he was 14 and 15.
It took several years and a tip-off to local police that finally forced Jim Bob to report his son’s behavior to authorities.
Josh’s behavior was first discovered in March of 2002, when one of his youngest sisters went to Jim Bob ‘very upset and crying’.
Josh admitted to touching her breasts and genitals while she was sleeping on multiple occasions.
In the report, Jim Bob said Josh was ‘disciplined,’ though didn’t reveal what the discipline entailed.
But there were more incidents to follow after that. And it was revealed that Jim Bob decided to finally go to authorities after an anonymous tip was made to the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline about Josh’s behavior.