Josh Duggar isn't a stranger when it comes to scandal. Back in 2015, the 19 Kids and Counting star faced allegations that he molested four of his sisters and a babysitter. Parents Jim Bob and Michelle tried to play it off as innocent curiosity when they opened up about it.
"He said he was just curious about girls and he had gone in and just basically touched them over their clothes while they were sleeping; they didn’t even know he had done it," Jim Bob told Fox News, per The Washington Post.
But the horrific claims haven't ended. Josh, who's the eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle, was arrested for downloading material that included underage children being sexually abused. The charges state that some of the children featured were younger than 12.
Josh currently has six children of his own, with one on the way. The New York Times reports that his indictment is for one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. He faces both $250,000 for each count and 20 years in prison. He's choosing to plead not guilty.
However, it's upsetting to know that this incident allegedly might not have happened if his 2015 charges were taken more seriously. While Josh was no longer allowed to film on any of the television series involving his parents and siblings, his punishment was seemingly glossed over. At the time, Josh made an apology — which can't take back years of pain.
"Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret," he wrote back in 2015. "I hurt others, including my family and close friends." At the time these accusations became public, Josh was 27.
The publication also states that Josh's legal team "[intends] to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly." But certain members of Josh's family felt like they needed to weigh in on what was happening. And it's very telling to see how his siblings are processing such upsetting news.
The timing was especially upsetting for Josh's wife, Anna, who just announced a pregnancy days before Josh's arrest. The couple initially met at a Christian homeschooling convention, and they tied the knot in 2008. But Josh didn't stay loyal to Anna.
When the cheating website Ashley Madison was hacked, people were quick to note that Josh had an account. Supposedly, he had two subscriptions — one that started up on February 2013 and one in May 2015. He gave a statement on that as well, saying, "I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife."
While Anna has been seemingly forgiving during these upsetting scandals, his siblings tell another story. At this point, they seem to want to cut contact with Josh or, at least, separate themselves from his situation entirely. Sister and brother-in-law Jessa and Ben Seewald weren't afraid to share their thoughts online. "We are saddened to hear of the charges against Josh. As Christians, we stand against any form of pornography or abuse and we desire for the truth to be exposed, whatever that may be," they said.
Jim Bob and Michelle also made a statement on their family's website. "We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious," they said. But the rest of their statement seems to be lacking.
"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," they added. While it's hard to stop loving a problematic child, it's important for Michelle and Jim Bob to acknowledge that plenty of people — including their own daughters — have been negatively impacted by Josh's actions.
Jinger Duggar Vuolo's statement seemed to take these grotesque charges a bit more seriously. "We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh. While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice," she wrote. She even posted it on her Instagram timeline so that everyone would know where she stood.
Even Josh's cousin, Amy King, opened up about this issue with The Sun. "I spoke with several of my cousins after we heard about the arrest. We're in shock, but we don't want to think the worst of someone, you want to think the best," she said. "Just thinking about it makes me want to have a glass of wine right now. It breaks my heart. Family is family and I wish the best for everyone."
Amy's statement itself can read as being problematic, as it seems like she's refusing to admit these claims could be true. While Josh is innocent until proven guilty, he's had a bad track record when it's come to sexual behavior. And in a charge as serious as this, it's far more important to worry about the safety of the abused children. While everyone wishes this incident never happened, it's hard to try to continue projecting a positive image of this former television star after several disturbing incidents have already proven true throughout the years.
Jill Duggar Dillard and Derick Dillard also gave a short statement surrounding Josh's charges. "We just found out this information yesterday," they told People. "It is very sad." While nobody wants to know that their brother has been jailed for sexual crimes against minors, hopefully the entire family reflects deeply on this situation.
While Anna has spoken up about Josh's charges and marital betrayal before, this situation will hopefully give her the courage to leave a bad situation and take care of her children. If Josh receives jail time, there's already a great chance he won't be in their lives as-is. It's a shame that the family has to handle this crime publicly, but it's important that they stand behind everyone who was personally hurt or sexually abused by Josh Duggar.
