Jim Bob Duggar urged his son Joseph Duggar to “make lemonade out of lemons” after he was arrested on child molestation charges in Arkansas last month.
While Joseph sat in jail in Washington County, Arkansas, awaiting extradition to Bay County, Florida, the Duggar family patriarch, 60, scolded his embattled son via email.
“Mommy and I love you very much,” Jim Bob began their correspondence, according to an email obtained by People on Thursday. “(But) you have a long road ahead of you.”
After Jim Bob told his 31-year-old son that he had made a “terrible decision,” he reminded him, “God has already forgiven you if you asked.”
He added: “At this point you just have to accept the situation. You can pray that God will have mercy on you, but you will probably face major consequences for the next few years.”
The “19 Kids and Counting” alum, who shares 18 more children with Joseph and wife Michelle Duggar, 59, went on to tell his incarcerated son to “make lemonade out of lemons” and “teach others Christ while in jail or prison.”
“The David of the Bible made a huge mistake as a royal,” Jim Bob said, “but he repented and became a man who follows God’s will.” He concluded his email by saying, “We will continue to pray for you.”
The Duggar family did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Authorities in Arkansas arrested Joseph on March 18 on suspicion of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl during a family vacation to Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2020.
The former TLC star was charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with a victim under the age of 12 and lewd and lascivious conduct with a person over the age of 18.
He was then extradited to Florida’s Bay County Jail on Tuesday morning and made his first court appearance later that day.
Jim Bob was with Joseph in Bay County when he was formally charged and acquitted of sexual abuse charges and when the former reality star was released on $600,000 bail and flown home to Arkansas.
However, Jim Bob wasn’t the only Duggar family member to stay in touch with Joseph during his prison stay. The latter also corresponded with his sister-in-law Anna Duggar and her wife Kendra Duggar.
In an email purportedly obtained by the Daily Mail, Joseph reportedly apologized for “dragging the family’s name into the mud once again.”
Josh Duggar, another of Jim Bob and Michelle’s many children, is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
After Kendra was arrested on child sexual abuse charges, she told her conflicted husband that her family was “disappointed” in him.
“Even if you’re disappointed, just know that everyone loves you,” she said in a phone call obtained by TMZ on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Kendra were charged on March 20 in separate cases in Arkansas with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment.
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.
