Amy Duggar has some thoughts when it comes to her cousin Joseph Duggar’s prison communications with his wife, Kendra Duggar.
“You hear this? He called his wife ‘competent’ and she took it as a compliment,” Amy, 39, said in a Thursday, April 2, TikTok video, presumably referring to recently released audio from Joseph’s stay at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas late last month without mentioning her cousin by name. “Um, last time I checked, marriage isn’t a performance review and she’s not your employee.”
Joseph, 31, was arrested in Arkansas on March 18 for unlawful sexual activity with a minor after he was accused of allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl in Florida in 2020. The victim, now 14, told police that Joseph “eventually apologized for his actions” at the time before “the incidents stopped.”
Joseph was held at Washington County for weeks before his extradition to Florida, where the alleged crime took place. The former reality TV star pleaded not guilty and was released on $600,000 bond. In that time, he spoke with Kendra, 27, multiple times via phone and email.
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The Counting On alum and Kendra, who share four children, were also both arrested for four counts endangering the welfare of a minor, second-degree, and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. Kendra was released hours after her arrest after posting bond, while Joseph remained in custody. (A spokesperson for the Duggar family confirmed to Us that the charges are unrelated to Joseph’s alleged sexual misconduct case.)
When Kendra spoke with Joseph, she frequently asked how he was coping and whether he needed money to pay for future calls. Kendra also revealed that she was staying somewhere “private” without the kids and was fighting to eventually reunite as a family.
As for Amy, she was confused by the manner in which Joseph often spoke to his wife.
“What the crap was that? That’s what happens when the bar is set so low,” she stated in her TikTok video. “It’s so sad that it seems that she will accept any breadcrumb [of affection] that comes her way, and that means she’s probably been starving for a very long time.”
Amy continued, “I’m just gonna say it: Real love is out there. There is such a thing as real, good love. It doesn’t just acknowledge you, it celebrates you. It breathes life into your soul.”
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In a follow-up video, Amy also appeared to criticize Kendra for standing by Joseph’s side amid his arrest.
“How in the hell can she not be so unbelievably distraught and mad and disgusted at him,” Amy lamented in a Thursday video. “Oh, just wait, I’ll tell you why, because women in these really toxic systems, like this one, are taught that anger is a sin.”
She concluded, “My favorite term that they always use is ‘grace.’ We show them grace. We show the men grace because sins happen and grace covers it. Grace does offer repentance. Grace is something that is wonderful. Not in this instance. This isn’t grace, this is suppression, and this is how the cycle continues.”
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.
