A false imprisonment charge appears among criminal counts filed against Kendra Duggar after her husband Joseph Duggar was arrested on an alleged child molestation matter, according to local law enforcement and jail records.
Authorities in Arkansas said Joseph Duggar faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor, following a forensic interview in which the now 14 year old victim disclosed several incidents from a family vacation in Panama City Beach when she was nine, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said. The sheriff’s office described alleged conduct that included repeatedly asking the child to sit on his lap, covering them with a blanket, manipulating the child’s underwear and grazing her genitals, and rubbing her thighs.
Tontitown police announced that both Joseph and Kendra Duggar were charged in Arkansas with four counts each of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree and false imprisonment in the second degree, according to a press release. Joseph was detained and booked into the Washington County jail and is being held pending extradition to Bay County, Florida to face the lewd and lascivious behavior allegation. Kendra was arrested on a warrant at the Duggar family compound, booked and later released on bond which US Weekly reported was set at $1,470.
Background And Family Response
The Duggar couple had maintained a sizable social media presence, with a joint Instagram account that drew hundreds of thousands of followers, and analytics cited by Marca estimated the account once generated hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from sponsorships and brand deals. Marca also reported the Duggar family collectively held roughly $3.5 million in assets and that the family earned substantial per-episode fees during the run of their television series.
Members of the family publicly responded. Jill Duggar Dillard, writing on her blog, said the family was shocked and heartbroken, condemned abuse, and expressed support for the juvenile victim and her family while also offering support for Kendra and the couple’s four children. News reports also noted the family’s prior controversies, including the criminal conviction and prison sentence of Joseph’s brother Josh for possession of child pornography.
Law enforcement said the investigation remains active and ongoing, and authorities in Arkansas indicated the state charges there are separate from the Florida criminal case, per USA TODAY reporting. Joseph waived an extradition hearing and agreed to be returned to Florida, while Kendra’s Arkansas charges remain part of the local investigation.
