While Kendra Duggar was arrested two days after her husband, the charges are allegedly unrelated to her spouse Joseph Duggar’s alleged crimes.
“Kendra’s arrest has nothing to do with Joseph’s — although one precipitated another,” a source with knowledge of the case exclusively tells Us Weekly on Saturday, March 21. “After his charge, they automatically do a home study if minors live there. They came to her house.”
Joseph, 31, was arrested on Wednesday, March 18, on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior after allegedly molesting a 9-year-old child in Florida nearly six years earlier. The victim, now 14, told police that the 19 Kids and Counting alum “eventually apologized for his actions” at the time before “the incidents stopped after the apology.”
News broke two days later on Friday, March 20, that Joseph is also facing four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, second degree, and four counts of second degree false imprisonment. Kendra, 27, was subsequently arrested on Friday before being released that same day on a $1,470 bond. Joseph, meanwhile, is awaiting extradition to Florida.
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According to the insider, Kendra was arrested solely based on the results of the home investigation.
“Apparently, they had two rooms where the lock of the doorknob was on the outside instead of inside,” the source explains to Us. “They arrested her and took her kids for that, saying it’s evidence that she wrongly detains her kids.”
A spokesperson for the Duggar family subsequently confirmed that Kendra’s charge is unrelated to Joseph’s arrest for alleged unlawful sexual activity with a minor, telling Us in a statement, “[Kendra’s] is a misdemeanor charge totally unrelated to the Florida case.”
Kendra and Joseph, who share four children, have not publicly addressed any of the charges. Us Weekly reached out to a family representative for comment.
“It is ridiculous as the media reports imply she’s involved in Joseph’s alleged crime,” the source claims to Us. “Totally unrelated and a harsh response.”
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Joseph is one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children. He married Kendra in 2018 after they followed in his family’s courtship tradition. After Joseph and Kendra welcomed four kids together, they took a step back from social media years before their respective arrests.
Several members of Joseph’s family, however, have been outspoken about their family members’ alleged crimes.
“We were shocked yesterday evening to learn of Jill’s brother (Joseph Duggar’s) arrest,” Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, wrote in a joint statement via their blog. “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.”
They added, “We strongly condemn abuse. We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved. 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.”
Jessa Duggar, Amy Duggar and Josh Duggar, who is incarcerated after a child pornography conviction, have also issued statements.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
