The Duggar family’s public image has been further damaged due to recent legal crises involving Joseph Dugarleaving many in a state of disbelief.
As details of the allegations against Joseph continue to surface, voices within the extended family are beginning to call for drastic changes.
Joseph was recently arrested and faces several charges related to sexual misconduct with a minor. His wife, Kendra Duggar, was taken into custody shortly after, but shortly after was released.
Deanna Duggar urges Kendra to file for divorce
Joseph’s aunt, Deanna Duggar, is publicly begging his wife, Kendra, to end their marriage after his shocking arrest. In an exclusive interview with Page Six, Deanna said she thought divorce was the best option for Kendra to start over.
“She needs a new life. The best thing to do would be to divorce and move on with her life,” she added.
Kendra, who married in 2017 and shares four children with Joseph, is currently facing her own legal hurdles. She and Joseph were charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment.
Deanna admitted that while her heart goes out to her niece-in-law, she recognizes that “bad decisions” were made within the household.
“My prayers are for the victims. For Kendra, for Joseph, for the whole family, wake up and repent of their pride, their feeling of the world being against them, make things right in their family,” she said.
Deanna, the sister of family patriarch Jim Bob Duggar, has been estranged from the family unit for years alongside her daughter, Amy King.
Kendra Duggar was arrested days after her husband was taken into custody
As Deanna publicly calls for a clean break from Kendra and Joseph’s marriage, the couple’s legal reality becomes increasingly intertwined with the simultaneous arrests.
Just as Joseph faced being sent to Florida for his sexual assault allegations in 2020, law enforcement in Arkansas also decided to take Kendra into custody.
The Blast confirmed that on Friday, March 20, the Tontitown Police Department executed arrest warrants for the husband and wife following an investigation into their domestic lives.
While Kendra was released from the Washington County Jail just hours after being detained, Joseph remained at the detention center due to his ongoing case involving a nine-year-old victim.
Couple faces charges related to the welfare of a minor
Although the sudden arrests physically separated the couple, the specific legal details of their cases highlight a complex web of allegations.
According to The Blast, Joseph and Kendra both face four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment in Arkansas. A source close to the investigation clarified that these specific accusations relate to their domestic situation in Arkansas and have no connection to the sexual assault case currently being prosecuted in Florida.
A spokesperson for the Duggar family also stressed that Kendra is not a suspect in her husband’s Florida case. The representative reiterated that his arrest was an independent legal matter, focusing solely on the Arkansas allegations rather than the more serious criminal charges Joseph faces elsewhere.
Kendra seeks privacy in unknown location after release
After Kendra’s arrest, she was released shortly after. However, she chose not to return to the Tontitown property she shared with Joseph. Instead, she was reportedly moved to a secluded, private location immediately after posting bail.
During a recorded telephone conversation in prison, Kendra confirmed to Joseph that she was staying in a secure and very private environment.
According to The Blast, she described her new surroundings as a “good place,” while Joseph warned her against revealing specific details about her location over the phone.
The move appears to be a deliberate attempt to find stability and distance children from the current legal chaos.
Jim Bob and Michelle express heartbreak over recent accusations
While Kendra sought physical distance and privacy in an undisclosed location, his in-laws finally broke their silence regarding the allegations against their son. Jim Bob and Michelle were reportedly devastated by the recent events involving Joseph and the disturbing nature of the allegations.
Through an official statement, the longtime reality TV parents addressed the situation, according to The Blast.
According to a spokesperson for the couple, Jim Bob and Michelle are “heartbroken by this whole situation” following Joseph’s arrest.
In their statement, the rep noted that the couple is focused on “loving their family and helping Kendra” as she deals with the fallout from the criminal charges. In addition to supporting their daughter-in-law, Jim Bob and Michelle also acknowledged the seriousness of the accusations, saying they are “praying for the victim” involved in the Florida case.
