In brief
Joseph Duggar, a former star of the TLC show '19 Kids and Counting,' was arrested in Arkansas and is awaiting extradition to Florida to face charges of lewd behavior with a child. The allegations stem from incidents involving a 9-year-old girl during a family trip, with Duggar reportedly admitting to the actions. The investigation is still ongoing.
Former reality TV star Joseph Duggar is facing a child molestation charge in Florida, following incidents reported almost five years after his brother Josh Duggar's conviction for downloading child sexual abuse images. Joseph, 31, was arrested in Arkansas where he resides and is currently awaiting extradition to Florida. He faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior involving a child under 12, as outlined in an arrest affidavit from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Panama City, Florida.This situation arose when police in Tontitown, Arkansas received a report from the father of a 14-year-old girl who said Joseph had molested her during a family trip to Panama City Beach when she was just 9 years old. Authorities were able to document admissions made by Duggar to the girl's father regarding the abuse. He once again acknowledged the actions during a recorded call facilitated by police.Currently, there is no online court docket for Duggar in Florida, and it's unclear whether he has legal representation. The investigation remains active, according to the Tontitown Police Department, which has deferred further inquiries to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Joseph Duggar was part of the family featured in TLC's '19 Kids and Counting,' which depicted the lives of devout Baptists Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar and their large family. The show was canceled in 2015 after allegations surfaced against his brother Josh, who was found guilty of molesting multiple minors and has since been sentenced to a lengthy prison term. The details of the Duggar family's legal issues continue to unfold.
