Joseph Duggar, who was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl, is facing additional charges following the shocking arrest of his wife, Kendra, in Arkansas on Friday.
“As a result of the continuing investigation, additional charges have been filed against Joseph Duggar, 31, and Kendra Duggar, 27, in this case,” the Tontitown Police Department announced Friday.
The statement noted that warrants have been issued for his arrest on four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment.
Kendra was released from the Washington County Jail several hours after her arrest.
According to local news outlet KARK, Joseph is currently being held at the Washington County Detention Center for an incident out of Florida.
According to an Arkansas local, police have confirmed that the Duggars’ charges in Arkansas are “unrelated” to Joseph’s case in Florida.
However, the TT Police Department in Arkansas said this separate investigation was launched following an alleged incident in Florida.
Representatives for the Duggars, who married in 2017 and have since gone on to have four children, did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment Friday.
TLC star Joseph was arrested Wednesday in Florida and charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a victim under 12 years of age and lewd and lascivious acts with a person over 18 years of age, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim told authorities that she was 9 years old at the time and allegedly involved in multiple incidents with Joseph in 2020 during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida.
She claimed the reality star demanded to sit on her lap and that he touched her genitals during their getaway.
The victim also claimed that Joseph rubbed her thigh, then apologized and stopped the act.
Before the dramatic arrest Tuesday, the victim’s father confronted Joseph, who confessed to Tonti Town authorities, according to the sheriff’s office.
Joseph’s brother Josh, who was sentenced in 2021 to 12 years in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material, insisted through his lawyer Thursday that the allegations were “false.”
In the early 2000s, Josh was also infamously accused of sexually abusing five girls, including sisters Jessa and Jill Duggar.
In a blog post Thursday, Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, said they were “shocked” by Joseph’s arrest, but emphasized that they support the victim and “strongly condemn abuse.”
But in a statement obtained by People magazine on Friday, her cousin and 19 Kids and Counting alum Amy Duggar said she was “disgusted” and “deeply angry” about the situation.
“My first thoughts are for the victim. This child deserved to be safe, protected, and surrounded by people she could trust,” she said in a statement.
“The courage it took for her to come forward, especially after years of carrying heavy weights, cannot be overstated. That courage is to be commended above all else.”
She also said in part that she was “not surprised that another alleged predator emerged from this toxic system.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call our Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
