Jill and Jinger Duggar from Counting On are speaking out about their brother, 19 Kids And Counting‘s Josh Duggar, who was arrested this week for receipt and possession of child pornography. The arrest occurred on Thursday, when U.S. Marshals raided the soon-to-be-father-of-seven’s Washington County, Arkansas, home. On each count, the former 19 Kids and Counting star could face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Reactions from Josh’s massive family varied. While some were “sad” and plan to pray for a good outcome, others were “disturbed” and fiercely condemned his actions.

This isn’t the first time the actions of Josh, 33, have strayed from his strict “independent Baptist” upbringing. Several years ago, it was revealed that a teenaged Josh molested five girls, including a few of his sisters. Soon after, he was among a slew of famous men caught using the Ashley Madison marital affair website, which Josh utilized to cheat on his wife, Anna. Josh admitted to a pornography addiction and vowed to do better. Anna stuck by her man. In fact, the 19 Kids And Counting star recently announced that she’s expecting their seventh child. Most of the Duggar clan also appeared to forgive Josh.

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As Josh awaits a potential two decades of imprisonment for what we now know is a child pornography addiction, his family members seem to have differing views. In a statement to E!, 19 Kids And Counting‘s Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, simply said, “We just found out this information yesterday. It is very sad.” So far, Jinger was the only Duggar to denounce what her brother did. In an Instagram post, she said on behalf of herself and husband Jeremy Vuolo that they are “disturbed” by the charges and “condemn any form of child abuse.” Jinger turned off the ability for fans to comment on the post. Read Jinger’s full message below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jinger Vuolo (@jingervuolo)

Parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar added, “We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family.” Meanwhile, Josh’s wife, Anna, has yet to release a statement.

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When 19 Kids and Counting premiered in 2008, followed by the spin-off Counting On in 2015, many viewers thought the family was too good to be true. Over the years, dark Duggar secrets have been revealed, from the kids being homeschooled by an alleged cult leader to a gay crew member being kicked off set. Fans also don’t forget their dated views on marriage and how the woman’s sole responsibility is to please her husband. This belief may be why Anna stood by Josh during the Ashley Madison scandal. It will be interesting to see whether or not she stays loyal this time, but there’s a good chance she–and most of the Duggar family–will.

Source: E!, Jinger Vuolo/Instagram

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About The Author


Samantha Bambino
(252 Articles Published)

Samantha Bambino is a Reality TV News Writer at Screen Rant. For the past three years, she has covered music, politics, business and more in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She also freelanced for the online NKD Magazine, interviewing musicians, actors and social media personalities.

Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Samantha enjoys reading Stephen King novels, listening to Green Day and binge watching Friends.

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