Days after former reality TV star Joseph Duggar was taken into custody on charges that he molested a young girl in 2020, his wife Kendra was arrested too. An arrest warrant, issued on Friday, shows that the couple has been charged on four counts each of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree false imprisonment.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the Tontitown, Arkansas, police department said in a statement. “To protect the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of those involved, no further details will be provided at this time.”
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The two have been charged with identical misdemeanor counts. Kendra, 27, was booked into the Washington County, Arkansas, sheriff’s office at about 5 PM local time. She was released at around 6:19 PM.
Duggar family reacts
Meanwhile, Joseph Duggar’s cousins have reacted quite differently to his and Kendra’s arrests. Amy Duggar King, a cousin sister, was emotional.
“I don’t know what’s going on, and our local news is saying that there’s more and there’s been someone else who’s been arrested,” the 39-year-old said in a video posted on her Instagram stories. “I don’t know, I just thought everyone should know there’s more to this story. I don’t know what it is though.”
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She then posted a photo of a black screen, without offering any further explanation. Amy then praised the victim’s courage.
In a statement to US Weekly, she added: “My first thoughts are with the victim, a child who deserved to be safe, protected and surrounded by people she could trust. The courage it took for her to come forward, especially after years of carrying something so heavy, cannot be overstated. That bravery deserves to be honored above all else.”
She addressed the hateful comments she received on Friday.
“I will not put up with hateful, horrible comments for no reason at all. It is 2026, OK? No one has time to be mean and hateful people that are trying to tell you the truth and trying to just offer sympathy to the victims. If that’s all you’re going on my page [for], then there’s no place for you on there, and I will block you happily.”
Jill Duggar Dillard reacts
Jill Duggar Dillard, who formerly starred in TLC reality show ‘19 Kids and Counting’, spoke about her younger brother’s arrest.
“Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family,” she said in a family statement Thursday.
“We strongly condemn abuse. We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved. 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.”
“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,” the statement further read.
The charges come almost five years after Joseph Duggar’s older brother Josh was convicted of downloading child sexual abuse images.
