Joseph Duggar wrote a separate letter to his family apologizing after he was arrested for child sexual abuse, according to a new report.
“Humiliated and embarrassed,” the 31-year-old told his loved ones he was sorry for “dragging his family’s name in the mud once again,” the Daily Mail reported on Wednesday.
The “19 Kids and Counting” alum’s brother, Josh Duggar, is currently in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Joseph, who was arrested last month on suspicion of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl in Florida in 2020, wrote that she had “embarrassed everyone” and was “ashamed of myself.”
The outlet claimed that the former TLC personality “knows that some of his loved ones don’t want to talk to him.”
One of his reported letters was addressed to Josh at FCI Seagoville Federal Prison in Texas.
“My understanding is that Joe needs someone to talk to,” a source told the Daily Mail. “And Josh is definitely someone who has been in his position before.”
Insiders admitted they did not know the contents of these letters.
Josh, 38, released a statement through his attorney defending his brother two days after Joseph was arrested on March 18th.
“He lives with the painful reality of how a wrongful conviction can destroy a life,” the convict wrote. “He understands how truth can be distorted into sensational fiction by targeting people for publicity.”
The statement went on to say that Josh was “deeply saddened” by the news of his legal issues.
Many other members of the Duggar family, from Joy-Anna Duggar to Jessa Duggar, have condemned Joseph’s alleged actions.
The Counting On alum is 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.
Joseph, who has four children with wife Kendra Duggar, allegedly confessed to the victim’s father before being taken into custody.
A few days later, he was charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment, and 27-year-old Kendra was arrested on similar charges.
She was released later the same day, revealing in a tearful phone call with Joseph that her “baby was taken away”.
Joseph was held at the Washington County Correctional Facility in Arkansas until extradition to Florida, where he appeared in court on Tuesday.
Joseph pleaded not guilty and was released on $600,000 bail.
