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Jill Duggar broke her silence days after brother Joseph Duggar was arrested on child molestation charges.
“We were shocked yesterday evening to learn of Jill’s brother (Joseph Duggar’s) arrest,” a Thursday, March 19, post shared on Jill’s family blog read. “We first learned of anything related to his charges yesterday via a text from a friend who messaged us about the recent media reports of Joseph’s arrest and his alleged confession to molesting a juvenile female in 2020.”
Jill, 34, wrote that she and husband Derick Dillard are “shocked and heartbroken” over the allegations.
“We strongly condemn abuse. We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved,” the message continued. “Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family. 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.”
Jill and Derick, 37, also shared a message of support to Joseph’s wife, Kendra Duggar.
“We cannot imagine the indescribable pain they feel as they process and grieve everything,” they added, concluding the post with several bible verses.
Jill is the first Duggar to speak out after news broke on Wednesday, March 18, that Joseph was arrested 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.
“The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,” the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida confirmed in a statement on Wednesday. “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.”
Joseph 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.
Joseph is the second member of the Duggar family to face sex abuse charges. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s eldest son, Josh Duggar, was sentenced to 151 months in jail after a child pornography conviction in 2021.
Josh was previously investigated in 2006 for molesting five underage girls. It was later confirmed that his sisters, including Jill, who has since spoken out, were some of his victims.
Jill and her husband, Derick, began to distance themselves from the Duggar family in 2020.
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