Signs of possible sexual assault in children
Changes in behavior that may indicate that the child has been sexually abused or assaulted.
Former “19 Kids and Counting” star Joseph Garrett Duggar has been arrested and charged with child sexual abuse, authorities announced.
The Bay County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday, March 18, that Duggar, 31, was charged with lewd conduct involving sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old female victim, who was 9 years old at the time of the incident.
In a forensic interview, the boy disclosed several moments involving Duggar during a family vacation in Panama City Beach in 2020, the sheriff’s office said. In one incident, Duggar allegedly repeatedly asked the child to sit on his lap, and in another he manipulated the child’s underwear on a couch or under a blanket and grazed his genitals.
The sheriff’s office said Duggar, the seventh and eldest of 19 children who appeared on the TLC reality series, later apologized to the children for his actions and said no other incidents occurred.
The child’s father then confronted Duggar about the March 17 incident, and the reality TV alum admitted to acting against law enforcement in Tontitown, Washington County, in northern Arkansas, the sheriff said. Tontitown police arrested Dugger and he will be extradited to Bay County, where he will face charges.
USA TODAY was unable to determine an attorney to represent Duggar by press time and has reached out to the Duggar family for comment.
Joseph Duggar’s brother, Josh Duggar, was previously convicted of possessing child pornography.
Joseph Duggar’s arrest comes several years after his brother Josh Duggar was arrested in 2021 for possession of child pornography. He was convicted later that year and sentenced to more than 12 years in prison in 2022.
In 2015, 19 Kids and Counting was canceled after it was revealed that Josh, the eldest brother, had sexually abused his four younger sisters and their babysitter when they were teenagers. He also admitted to cheating on his wife and publicly apologized in 2015.
Josh Duggar found guilty on child pornography charges
19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar has been found guilty of downloading and possessing child pornography.
USA TODAY, Watchit
That same year, TLC aired Counting On, a spinoff series centered on the two Duggar sisters, which was also canceled after 11 seasons due to Josh’s arrest in 2021.
In 2023, an exclusive four-part documentary titled “Shiny Happy People: Secrets of the Duggar Family” delved into revelations about the infamous family, including how parents Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar, as a young couple, joined a “cult” known as the Institute for Basic Living Principles.
According to the documentary, the institute was founded by Bill Gothard, an influential leader of the conservative Christian Quiverfull movement. The documentary explained that through the group, Gothard taught women and children unwavering obedience and obedience. He was later removed from his position as leader after being accused of sexual harassment and assaulting a young girl, which he denied.
Contributor: Joy Ashford, USA TODAY
