Josh Duggar's sisters, who were all featured on TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, are responding to his recent arrest, expressing their sadness over the nature of his crimes. The Duggar family first started appearing on their reality show in 2008, back when they only had 17 kids in the family. The show captivated audiences due to the different lifestyle the family lives by, and for the novelty factor of watching the dynamics between a family of that size. Audiences were able to be a part of big moments for the family, including weddings and the birth of new siblings and grandkids. There were also a few scandals that ultimately brought forth the show's downfall.
The show was canceled after 10 seasons in 2015. The cancellation came after a police report was unearthed stating Josh had molested five young girls, including four of his sisters back when he was 14 years old. Josh was once again in hot water after it was revealed he cheated on his wife when his Ashley Madison account was leaked. He is now in trouble again after being arrested on April 29 on federal charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. Josh pleaded not guilty in court, but if a jury decides otherwise, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Fans of the show are curious to know what Josh's very conservative family thinks of his arrest, and are anxiously waiting to hear from them. Most recently, Josh's sister Joy-Anna Forsyth (Duggar) released a statement to E! News, claiming she and her husband are incredibly saddened by the news of her brother's arrest. She further explained, that they waited until they had fully digested the news before making a statement, which is why it took this long. In her statement, Joy-Anna expressed how upset she is that there are children out there being harmed in this way and that she is praying for everyone involved in this unfortunate situation. She ended by saying she is also praying that the truth will come out.
Earlier in the month, other members of Josh's family responded to the news. His sister Jill Dillard gave a really short statement, simply calling the news "very sad." Parents Jim Bob and Michelle thanked fans for their continued prayers for their family and assured them they are taking the allegations against their son very seriously. They also said they pray for the truth to come to light, no matter what the truth may be. His sister Jinger, assured fans that she and her family wholeheartedly condemn child abuse in any form and that she has complete faith in the judicial process and supports the authorities in this matter.
It is unclear at this point how much time Josh will spend in prison, or if he will spend any time at all behind bars. When he molested the girls back in 2006, the matter was handled internally within the family, and Josh was never served any consequences. The fact that this situation is being handled by the federal government, as Josh was arrested by federal agents, suggests that the chances of him being punished are higher this time. Also, it is unclear if TLC will cancel Counting On as they did with 19 Kids and Counting. Even though Josh is not featured on that show, fans are unhappy with the family for how they continue to enable Josh.
Source: E! News