Content warning: This story discusses child sexual abuse.
Two members of the Duggar family have now been accused of sexual wrongdoing.
Joseph Duggar, known from the show 19 Kids and Counting, was recently arrested and faces charges related to the alleged abuse of a 9-year-old girl. This arrest comes almost five years after his older brother, Josh Duggar, was arrested in a case involving child pornography.
Joseph was arrested in Arkansas on March 18th following allegations of sexual abuse of a 9-year-old girl. The alleged abuse occurred during a vacation in Florida in 2020, and authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in the case.
According to a statement from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, 31-year-old Joe Duggar – who has four children with his wife, Kendra Caldwell – reportedly confessed to his actions after being questioned by the girl’s father and Arkansas detectives on March 17. He is currently being transferred to Bay County, Florida, to face charges.
Josh Duggar’s older brother, who is 38, has also been accused of sexually abusing children. A police report from 2006 revealed allegations that, as a teenager, he inappropriately touched five girls, including four of his own sisters. Jill and Jessa Duggar later identified themselves as two of the alleged victims, but Josh was never formally charged with any crime.
Fifteen years later, Josh faced new accusations of sexual misconduct. In 2021, he was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography.
Josh Duggar, who has seven children with his wife Anna, repeatedly downloaded and watched child sexual abuse material, including images and videos of very young children and depictions of violent abuse, according to investigators with Homeland Security Investigations in Fayetteville.
Officials stated that he created a password-protected section on his computer’s hard drive at his Springdale used car dealership to bypass software that would detect pornography. He then used the dark web to download content.
When Derick Dillard was arrested, his wife, Jill, told TopMob News they were both “very saddened” by the situation.
Jinger Duggar shared a statement on Instagram saying she and her family were deeply upset to learn about the charges against her brother, Josh. She emphasized that while the legal process needs to run its course, they strongly condemn all forms of child abuse and fully support law enforcement and the courts in seeking justice.
Josh received a 12-year prison sentence with no chance of parole the following year. While he appealed the decision, the Supreme Court upheld it in 2024. Josh still believes he didn’t receive a fair trial and is continuing to work to have his conviction reversed.
When Derick Dillard was arrested, his wife, Jill, told TopMob News they were both “very saddened” by the situation.
Jinger Duggar shared a statement on Instagram expressing her distress over the charges against her brother, Josh. She emphasized that while the legal process needs to run its course, she strongly condemns all forms of child abuse and supports law enforcement and the courts in seeking justice.
Josh received a 12-year prison sentence with no chance of parole the following year. Although he appealed the decision, the Supreme Court upheld it in 2024. Josh still believes he didn’t receive a fair trial and is continuing to work to have his conviction overturned.
Counting On was canceled in 2021 after Josh’s arrest on child porn charges.
TopMob News has contacted the Duggar family for a statement regarding Joseph’s arrest, but they haven’t responded yet.
Before their legal troubles, Joseph and Josh Duggar, along with their 17 siblings, were featured on the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting, which aired from 2008 to 2015.
The show followed Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar as they raised their large family using strict religious beliefs and a homeschool program connected to the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). In a 2023 documentary, their daughter Jill described how the IBLP’s methods could create an environment similar to a cult.
After the cancellation of the original show due to allegations about Josh’s past, Jill explained she felt pressured to participate in the spinoff, Counting On, when it began in 2015.
In the documentary Shiny Happy People, the 34-year-old explained their difficulty with setting boundaries, stating, “I didn’t want to, but I’d always given in to my family.” They described a deeply ingrained belief in respecting authority, feeling that disagreeing with their parents would lead to negative consequences. The documentary highlights how the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and its teachings attract people, like their father, who desire control. Jim Bob and Michelle, however, criticized the documentary as unfair and exaggerated when it was released.
Counting On was canceled in 2021 after Josh’s arrest on child porn charges.
TopMob News has contacted the Duggar family for a statement regarding Joseph’s arrest, but they haven’t responded yet.
Read on for more details about each member of the Duggar family.
This couple, who fell in love in high school, are now parents to 19 children and grandparents to over 36 grandchildren.
Michelle remembers accepting a religious faith at age 15. Later, Jim Bob was visiting homes in the neighborhood as part of his church’s outreach program. A friend mentioned that a newly religious cheerleader lived at the Ruark family’s house, so Jim Bob went and knocked on their door.
Jim Bob invited Michelle to Sunday school and hoped they could become spiritual mentors to each other, though Michelle doesn’t recall their first meeting being particularly memorable. A year later, Michelle applied for a job at the frozen yogurt shop owned by Jim Bob’s parents. In a 2017 blog post celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary and Jim Bob’s birthday, Michelle recalled that he approached her at the counter, introducing himself shyly but sweetly. She admitted she didn’t remember much of their conversation, except that he eventually worked up the courage to ask her to the junior-senior banquet.
Oh my gosh, it was so sweet! I’ve read everything about their story a million times, and the dinner at Shiloh Christian was just the beginning, apparently. But it was after that, talking about the Bible for hours at her parents’ house, that Michelle just knew. She says that’s when their hearts really connected! Can you believe they graduated high school in May 1984 and were married in July?! She was only seventeen and Jim Bob was nineteen! It’s just… the most perfect, whirlwind romance ever! I’m obsessed!
The couple dedicated themselves to God and each other for the long run.
Jim Bob previously served as a state representative for Arkansas’s sixth district from 1999 to 2002, where he was the vice chair of the House Corrections and Criminal Law Subcommittee. He ran for U.S. Senate in 2002 but didn’t win the primary, and in 2006, he also failed to secure the Republican nomination for the Arkansas State Senate’s 35th district.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are licensed real estate agents and actively involved in conservative political and social causes. This aspect of their lives made them both strong advocates for and frequent targets of criticism surrounding their show, 19 Kids and Counting (originally titled 17 Kids and Counting when it began in 2008).
As of October 2024, they were grandparents of 33 with three on the way.
Josh Duggar, the oldest child of the Duggar family, was born on March 3, 1988. Like his parents, he became involved in conservative activism, working with the Family Research Council.
Josh Duggar resigned after old police records from 2015 came to light, detailing accusations that he had sexually abused multiple girls, including his sisters Jessa and Jill, when he was a teenager. In a June interview with Fox News, Jessa defended her brother, claiming the accusations were exaggerated and untrue, and stated she was one of the victims herself.
His wife, Anna Duggar, whom he married on September 26, 2008, in a ceremony shown on the show 19 Kids and Counting, remained supportive even after he confessed to infidelity.
In 2016, when he began treatment, his parents described it as an important start to his recovery process.
Anna and her husband have seven children: Mackynzie (born October 8, 2009), Michael (born June 15, 2011), Marcus (born June 2, 2013), Meredith (born July 16, 2015), Mason Garett (born September 12, 2017), Maryella Hope (born November 27, 2019), and Madyson Lily (born October 23, 2021). Meredith was born on the same day TLC canceled 19 Kids.
In April 2021, Josh was indicted on federal charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, and he initially pleaded not guilty to both. In 2022, he was convicted on both counts, though the judge later dismissed the possession charge. He received a prison sentence of 12 and a half years.
Soon after Josh arrived, Michelle became pregnant again, but sadly, she lost the baby. While they were still sad about this loss and seeking direction, they were overjoyed to discover they were expecting twins.
It felt like a wonderful gift from God,” she shared. “It really encouraged us during a challenging time, and we’re still figuring things out. It’s quite rare, as I breastfeed my babies, but my children are very close in age – I have one baby, then get pregnant again just eight months later. It’s another unexpected thing that God has brought into our lives.
John-David Duggar and his twin sister Jana Duggar were born on Jan. 12, 1990.
John-David and Abbie-Grace Burnett married on November 3, 2018, after a quick romance and engagement. Though they’d been aware of each other for years, they officially met at a church event in Oklahoma, where Abbie grew up.
They welcomed daughter Grace Annette Duggar on Jan. 7, 2020 and son Charlie Duggar in September 2022.
In a heartwarming message on their 30th birthday in January 2020, Jana reflected on a lifelong question about having a ‘twin connection’ with John – that feeling of sharing each other’s thoughts and emotions. She’d always said they didn’t, but with the birth of their daughter, Gracie, she realized she truly felt John’s joy as if it were her own, making her believe the connection was real after all.
Jana said it was lovely seeing you and Abbie as parents, and that you both seemed to have a natural gift for it. She added that all the great qualities you have as a brother will definitely make you a fantastic dad.
Abbie and John-David found out they’re expecting a baby girl at a combined baby shower with Jana in November 2025.
Jana watched eleven of her eighteen siblings get married before she met her own husband, Stephen Wissmann. Interestingly, Stephen’s sister, Hannah, is married to Jana’s brother, Jeremiah. Although she sometimes felt frustrated by the wait, Jana believes everything happened according to God’s plan.
Jana recently shared with People magazine that she didn’t always see the long-term plan, but she trusts that God has a good reason for everything. That’s why she’s choosing to get married later in life. She believes everyone’s journey is unique, and that’s what makes life interesting.
On Dec. 30, 2025, the couple welcomed their first child, son Archie Gerald Wissmann.
Jill Dillard (born May 17, 1991) met her husband, Derick, in a way similar to how her parents met. He visited the Duggar family home in December 2011 while caroling with his church group, and they quickly connected. Derick grew up about 45 minutes from the Duggars.
Jim Bob introduced Jill and Derick, and they quickly connected through emails and video calls. That November, Jill and her father visited Derick in Nepal, and their relationship blossomed. Derick formally asked Jim Bob for Jill’s hand in marriage in February 2014, and they were married on June 21, 2014. They now have three sons: Israel, born April 6, 2015, Samuel, born July 8, 2017, and Frederick, born July 7, 2022.
In April 2024, Jill announced she and Derick had experienced a miscarriage while expecting their first daughter.
In the Amazon Prime Video documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, which debuted in June 2023, Jill and Derick Duggar discussed the controversies and religious beliefs connected to their family.
Jim Bob and Michelle’s fifth child, Jessa Duggar, was born Nov. 4, 1992.
Jessa and Ben met at church, and he began courting her in 2013. This traditional approach to romance was new to many viewers. Because the couple didn’t discuss their relationship before getting engaged, Jim Bob explained to People magazine that courting involves getting to know each other with both families involved, and setting goals together to see if they’re a good match for marriage. He contrasted this with dating, where couples often spend time alone and the relationship can become physical more quickly.
Ben formally asked for Jessa’s hand in marriage and then proposed to her in August 2014 – a special moment because it was the first time they’d held hands. They married on November 1, 2014. Shortly after, while Jessa was pregnant with their first child, their show 19 Kids and Counting was canceled. TLC then aired a special episode featuring Jessa and her sister Jill discussing sexual abuse and raising awareness about the issue. That winter, the sisters starred in their own spin-off show, Jill and Jessa: Counting On, which later became Counting On and included other members of the Duggar family.
Jessa and Ben have four children: Spurgeon, born in November 2015; Henry, born in February 2017; Ivy Jane, born in May 2019; and Fern, born in July 2021. They sadly experienced a miscarriage during the 2022 holidays, but welcomed another son, George, in December 2023.
In August 2025, Jessa announced the birth of son Edward.
The sixth Duggar child, Jinger Vuolo, was born Dec. 21, 1993.
Jinger and Jeremy first connected while doing mission work in Laredo, Texas, and began dating in 2016. They got married on November 5, 2016 – the same day as Jinger’s nephew Spurgeon’s birthday, which is a bit tricky to avoid when you’re part of a large family of nineteen children! Soon after, people started speculating that they were expecting a baby.
In June 2017, on an episode of Counting On, Jinger shared that she and her family planned to continue living in Laredo and dedicating themselves to serving God in any way they could.
The couple’s daughter, Felicity, was born on July 19, 2018. They had previously announced in May of that year that Jinger was expecting another baby, but shared that she had unfortunately experienced a miscarriage in the fall of 2017. Their second daughter, Evangeline Jo, arrived in November 2020.
Son Finnegan Charles was born March 29, 2025.
Joseph Duggar, born on January 20, 1995, proposed to Kendra Caldwell at his sister Joy-Anna’s wedding in May 2017. They had met through church and had been courting for only a few months when he asked her to marry him.
Joseph admitted he was nervous when he proposed, but he felt confident she’d say yes, recalling her telling him, ‘I’m just waiting on you!’ Kendra shared her reaction, saying, ‘I’m so happy and so shocked – I don’t even know what to say!’
The couple has welcomed three children: a son named Garrett, born in June 2018, and daughters Addison, born in November 2019, and Brooklyn, born in February 2021.
Eighth in line, Josiah Duggar was born on Aug. 28, 1996.
I was so thrilled when I heard about their engagement in March 2018, especially after they’d just started dating publicly a few months before! He shared that he proposed to Lauren in the very same spot where her parents got engaged. It’s such a romantic detail – apparently, that property has a lot of meaning for Lauren’s family, making it the perfect place for him to ask her to marry him.
Lauren’s future mother-in-law, Michelle, shared in a video on the family’s blog how much they adore her, calling her a ‘precious girl.’ Jessa and Ben also congratulated the couple and gifted them chocolates shaped like hearts and kisses. Michelle jokingly said, ‘I’m guessing you want to save your first kiss for the wedding,’ before offering them the chocolates as a fun consolation prize.
Josiah previously dated Marjorie Jackson, but they ended their relationship in the summer of 2015. He told People magazine in March 2016 that they had enjoyed their time together and were both trying to discern what God wanted for them. Ultimately, Marjorie didn’t feel the timing was right, so they decided to take a break.
He and Lauren got married on June 30, 2018, and described their wedding day as “absolutely perfect” to People magazine. They had their first daughter, Bella Milagro, on November 8, 2019—a name meaning “miracle baby,” after Lauren experienced a miscarriage in October 2018. Their family grew with the arrival of another daughter, Daisy, in 2022, and a son named Ezra in May 2023.
Ninth sibling Joy-Anna Duggar was born Oct. 28, 1997.
Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth had been friends for 15 years before they began dating. They quickly fell in love, with Austin proposing in February 2017. They were married on May 26, 2017, at Cross Church in Rogers, Arkansas – the same wedding where Joseph Duggar proposed to Kendra Caldwell!
Joy-Anna and Austin have three children: Gideon Martin Forsyth, born February 23, 2018; Evelyn Mae Forsyth, born August 21, 2020; and Gunner James Forsyth, born May 17, 2023.
Jed and Jeremiah Duggar, the second set of twins born to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, arrived on December 30, 1998.
Jed and Katey Nakatsu got married in April 2021 after dating for a year. They have two children: a son named Truett, born in May 2022, and a daughter named Nora Kate, born in June 2023.
Jed and Katey shared the exciting news in July 2024 that they were expecting twin girls. Elsie Kate and Emma Kate arrived on January 8, 2025.
Jeremiah is a certified flight instructor and is married to Hannah Wissmann, who is the sister of Stephen (Jana’s husband). They have two daughters: Brynley, born in December 2022, and Brielle, born in February 2024.
They announced the arrival of their third daughter, Emery ‘Emy’ Jane Duggar, on May 18, 2025.
No. 12 Jason Duggar was born on April 21, 2000.
In January 2017, the Daily Mail said Jim Bob assisted Jase in purchasing a rundown house in Prairie Grove, Arkansas – roughly 30 minutes from the Duggar family’s property. Jase then went on to launch his own construction business.
He publicly announced his relationship with Maddie Grace on Instagram in May 2024, and they got married in October of the same year.
Charmed No. 13, James Duggar was born July 7, 2001.
He’s not dating anyone openly right now, but he’s a very loving and involved uncle to many nieces and nephews.
My son James is the ‘fun uncle’ – all the younger boys adore him and want to be just like him! I wrote that on his 19th birthday in 2019 because he’s always been able to build or fix anything he sets his mind to. Even when he was little, he’d take things apart – appliances, toys, everything – just to see how they worked. Then he’d put them back together, often with his own creative improvements!
I’m so proud to share that my friend James recently achieved his Commercial Driver’s License! He’s become incredibly skilled at operating all kinds of large trucks and heavy equipment, and I’m really excited to see what amazing opportunities come his way – I have a feeling great things are in store for him!
No. 14 Justin Duggar arrived on Nov. 15, 2002.
He started dating Claire Spivey in September 2020, and they announced their engagement the following November. They were married on February 26, 2021.
Jackson Duggar, the fifteenth child of Jim Bob and Michelle, was born on May 23, 2004. He’s pictured here with his older sister, Jill.
On Jackson’s sixteenth birthday, his mom, Michelle, complimented his funny personality and said she knew he was eager to finally get his driver’s license.
Johannah Duggar was born on October 11, 2005, which is why her family was featured in the special called 16 Kids and Moving In.
On her daughter’s fifteenth birthday in 2020, Michelle wrote about how much joy the girl brings to everyone. She described her daughter as friendly and someone who easily makes connections with others. Michelle also shared how much her younger sisters love and admire her, and expressed her gratitude for being her mother.
Jennifer Duggar arrived on Aug. 2, 2007, then the baby of the family.
Their TLC show that premiered Sept. 29, 2008, was christened 17 Kids and Counting.
Now, OMG, she’s a teenager.
As a mom, there’s nothing more heartwarming than watching your child blossom, and turning 13 felt like a huge milestone for my daughter, Jennifer! She’s always been incredibly dependable and loyal – a real sweetheart. Honestly, the kids adore her! She’s constantly surrounded by nieces and nephews clinging to her, begging her not to put them down. It’s so sweet! And her love for animals is just amazing. She’s a dedicated pet owner, making sure they’re cared for every single day, and she recently took on the wonderful task of helping raise a whole litter of seven tiny bunnies! It really shows her kind heart and responsible nature.
Here on the right, the penultimate Duggar child was born Dec. 18, 2008.
In 2019, Jordyn-Grace’s mom described her as a friendly and sociable person who easily connects with others. She also noted that Jordyn-Grace’s laughter always brightens their day.
I’ve been following the Duggar family for years, and I was so worried about Josie when she was born. She arrived on December 10th, 2009, a full three months early, and was tiny – just one pound, six ounces! It was such a relief to hear she pulled through after spending six months in the NICU. This photo of her with her sweet niece Meredith is just adorable, knowing how strong she is!
Michelle described her daughter Josie as incredibly energetic in a birthday message from 2020. She wrote that Josie is constantly on the go, from the moment she wakes up until bedtime!
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2026-03-19 05:50