[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Jessa and Jana Duggar are slamming their younger brother Joseph’s alleged actions.
As we have been reporting, the 31-year-old television was arrested in Arkansas last month for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl during a 2020 family vacation in Florida. And along with wife Kendra Duggar, he was then charged with four second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four second-degree counts of false imprisonment. Joseph has since been extradited to Florida, where he entered a not guilty plea and was released on a $600,000 bond.
Related: Jim Bob Duggar Gives Son Joseph Questionable Advice In Jail Letter!
Several family members have reacted to the disturbing allegations after his arrest, including Jessa and Jana now. Jessa took to Instagram Stories on Thursday to condemn Joseph’s alleged actions, saying:
“We learned, along with the rest of the world, of the heartbreaking news involving my brother, Joseph, and we are deeply grieved. Our hearts ache for this innocent young girl and the harm she has suffered. This is a profound wrong, and we know it grieves the heart of God, who cares deeply for the children and vulnerable. We are lifting her up in prayer, asking for comfort, healing and justice.”
We can only imagine how triggering the scandal must be for Jess, also. As you know, her brother Josh Duggar, who is currently behind bars following a child pornography conviction, molested her and sister Jill Duggar when they were kids. Awful.
Meanwhile, Jana said she is “heartbroken” over the situation in a statement on Facebook that same day:
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the situation involving my brother, Joseph. This news came as a shock to us, as we had no prior knowledge before it became public. Our hearts are with the child who has been harmed–this is a grievous and unacceptable wrong. We continued to pray for the victim and for justice to be carried out.”
We continue to keep the victim and her family in our thoughts. Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below).
If you have sincere cause to suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Jana Duggar/Jessa Duggar/Instagram]
