Jill Duggar Dillard's family speaks out after Joseph Duggar is arrested on child molestation char...

The &34;19 Kids and Counting&34; alum was taken into custody on Wednesday. Jill Duggar Dillard's family speaks out after Joseph Duggar is arrested on child molestation charges: 'We strongly condemn abuse' The &34;19 Kids and Counting&34; alum was taken into custody on Wednesday. By Shania Russell :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ShaniaRussellauthorphoto5934b684845d480caa4485648c39ef2b.jpg) Shania Russell Shania Russell is a news writer at , with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine. EW's editorial guidelines March 20, 2026 8:42 a.m.

The "19 Kids and Counting" alum was taken into custody on Wednesday.

Jill Duggar Dillard's family speaks out after Joseph Duggar is arrested on child molestation charges: 'We strongly condemn abuse'

The "19 Kids and Counting" alum was taken into custody on Wednesday.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

EW's editorial guidelines

March 20, 2026 8:42 a.m. ET

Joseph Duggar on 'Good Morning America'. Credit:

Ida Mae Astute/Getty

Joseph Duggar's family is speaking out after the former TLC star was arrested for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2020.

On Thursday, his sister Jill Duggar Dillard and her family addressed his arrest on the Dillard Family blog.

"We were shocked yesterday evening to learn of Jill's brother (Joseph Duggar's) arrest," the post began. "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. We are shocked and heartbroken."

The message continued, "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."

The Dillards closed the post offering support to Joseph's wife Kendra and the couple's four children, followed by two Bible verses: "We love our sister-in-law, Kendra, and our four nieces and nephews and pray that they feel loved and supported during this time as we cannot imagine the indescribable pain they feel as they process and grieve everything."

Joseph, 31, and Jill, 34, along with their parents Jim Bob and Michelle and siblings, starred on TLC's *19 Kids and Counting* from 2008 to 2015, which spent over 200 episodes following the lives of the Arkansas family guided by conservative Christian beliefs. Jill married Derick Dillard in June 2014, and the couple share three children.

The Dillards' post comes after the Bay County Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday that Joseph had been charged with lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older. At the time, authorities noted that the former reality star had been booked into the Washington County, Ark., jail and was awaiting extradition to Bay County.

Joseph Duggar on TLC.

Joseph's charges are in connection with allegations involving a then-9-year-old girl who was on vacation with her family in Panama City Beach, Fla., in 2020. Joseph was accused of repeatedly engaging in "unlawful sexual activity," per a statement from the sheriff's office.

The authorities claim the alleged sexual abuse occurred when Joseph asked the girl to sit on his lap. "The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap," Bay City police shared in their statement. "As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket."

The girl, who is now 14, reported the alleged sexual assault on Wednesday to the police in Tontitown, Ark.. She told authorities that Joseph "eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology." Investigators determined that the alleged assault happened in Bay County, Fla., and informed the sheriff's office, which issued a warrant for Joseph's arrest.

** has reached out to the Duggar family for comment.

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Joseph's Wednesday arrest marks the second set of child sex abuse allegations related to the famous family.

The Duggar family on '19 Kids & Counting'.

Tlc/Kobal/Shutterstock

Back in 2015, news emerged that Josh, now 38, had confessed to molesting multiple young girls as a teenager, including his sisters Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald. In light of the revelations, the family's reality show was canceled. However, as the investigation began in 2006, authorities concluded the statute of limitations on any potential charges had expired.

In a statement at the time, Josh said, "Twelve years ago, as a young teenager I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling."

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In 2022, Josh was found guilty of downloading and possessing child pornography and sentenced to 12 years in prison. The family's spin-off series, *Counting On*, was also canceled in the wake of his 2021 trial. The disgraced TV personality, who shares seven children with wife Anna Duggar, later announced that he would enter rehab for his pornography addiction. He is currently serving his time at FCI Seagoville federal prison in Texas, with an expected release date sometime in 2032.

*If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.*

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