Joseph Duggar’s aunt is pleading with the disgraced reality TV star’s wife, Kendra Duggar, to file for divorce amid a sexual abuse scandal.
“My feeling is that Kendra should divorce him,” Deanna Duggar, sister of patriarch Jim Bob Duggar, told Page Six in an exclusive interview. “She needs a new life. The best thing to do is divorce him and move on with her life.”
Kendra, who married Joseph in 2017 and has four children with him, was charged on March 20 with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. Joseph was also charged with similar charges.
“We don’t know what Kendra’s charges will be. We don’t know, but we’re all waiting to see. We miss her dearly, but we know some bad decisions were made,” Deanna continued. “My prayers are for the victims. For Kendra, for Joseph, and for the entire family, please wake up and repent of their pride, the feelings of the world being turned against them, and make things right in their family…”
Although Deanna and her daughter Amy King frequently appeared on 19 Kids and Counting, they were estranged from the Duggar family for years due to their extreme religious beliefs and controversy.
One of the controversies is Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s eldest son Josh, who is currently serving a 151-month prison sentence for child pornography charges. His arrest led to the cancellation of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” and “Counting On.”
Josh declared his innocence despite a guilty verdict following a two-week jury trial.
Deanna, who hasn’t seen Joseph in “a few years”, said of the arrest: “I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it was Joseph. It’s terrible to hear this again in the family.”
Deanna said she continues to wonder “what’s really going on” behind closed doors.
“I’m like everyone else who watches the news and wonders, ‘How could this happen again?’ I want people to know that my heart is so heavy for the victims,” she added.
“That sweet, innocent girl never deserved this. It’s terrible and it’s terrible. I’m so embarrassed by everything that happened. I’ve been walking around for days in shock. I hope justice is served. This travesty is too much for me.”
Deanna told Page Six that she remembers her nephew as “always very loving and kind.”
“He was such a joy to be around. I loved Joseph so much,” she recalled, telling Us that amid all the news, “a piece of[her]heart is missing.”
“Never in a million years did I think something like this would happen. I hope the authorities get to the bottom of it.”
Deanna also prays that Joseph “gets help” through “rehabilitation.”
It is unclear whether Kendra will continue to stand by her husband, but Page Six said he called his wife every day in prison.
Joseph, 31, called Kendra, 27, on March 19, but she did not answer the phone. Kendra responded on March 20, and the two spoke for eight minutes. He called her again on March 21st and 22nd for 21 minutes each.
On March 23, Joseph called his wife twice, the first conversation lasting approximately 20 minutes and the second call lasting 9 minutes.
Page Six reported earlier this month that Joseph was arrested on March 18 on suspicion of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl. He was 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.
Authorities say the incidents occurred multiple times during family vacations in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2020.
In a court affidavit obtained by Page Six, Joseph’s alleged victim, now 14, told authorities that the former TLC star began demanding that Joseph “sit next to[him]on the couch” and “put a blanket over the parties.”
“Once the parties were interviewed, the defendant pulled up the victim’s dress and touched the victim’s thighs,” Bay County Deputy Sheriff Darrell Norris said in an affidavit.
The “Counting On” star’s alleged victim claimed that Joseph’s hand “grazed her vagina” during the incident, according to the affidavit.
Joseph was booked into the Washington County Jail in Arkansas. He was charged with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four additional counts of false imprisonment on March 20 in Arkansas.
Page Six has confirmed that he is currently being extradited to Bay County, Florida on molestation charges. The Duggar family has not responded to Page Six’s repeated requests for comment.
However, Jim Bob and Michelle broke their silence about Joseph’s arrest in a statement obtained by Page Six on Monday, saying they were “heartbroken” by the entire situation.
“Right now, they are focused on loving their family and helping Kendra and the children during this difficult time,” the statement read in part. “They have asked for privacy and appreciate the kind words and prayers that so many have offered.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
