Kendra Duggar is not distancing herself from Joseph Duggar and his family amid his legal struggles.
“I don’t know if it’s fear or naivete, but Kendra has totally sided with the Duggars and not her family,” a source exclusively shared with Us Weekly. “She is brainwashed.”
According to the insider, “not many people are there to help” Kendra’s immediate family, including her parents Christina and Paul Caldwell, and the Duggars have “not stepped up at all.”
“I can’t believe how [the Duggars] have treated [the Caldwells],” the source explained. “They want them out. They had the lights and electricity cut off from the house they are in. It’s awful. They are trying to get out.”
Us Weekly previously confirmed on March 18 that Joseph, 31, was arrested in Arkansas amid accusations of sexual abuse from a teen girl who was 9 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and was able to reunite with Kendra, 27, after his release from a Florida jail on March 31. The couple have been married since 2017 and have four children.
While the identity of the accuser has yet to be revealed, a source told Us that Kendra’s mom is “not hiding the fact” that the alleged victim is close to the family.
“She has told other members of their church, but she is not sure she wants to talk about it so publicly,” the source explained. “That is what she is struggling with, but she is not hiding it.”
Us has reached out to a rep for the Duggar family and the Caldwells for comment.
According to the source, the alleged sexual assault happened while Joseph was on vacation with Kendra and her family. No other Duggar family members were part of the trip.
“I don’t know if [the alleged victim] knew what happened at the time. I think as years passed, she understood more and got the courage to tell her family,” the source claimed. “Just like the police report says, when she told her family, they acted on it. It took a lot for her to come forward. But she is not scared. She is strong. She doesn’t want to hide.”
Kendra’s family previously broke their silence on Joseph’s arrest in a statement posted via social media on Wednesday, April 15.
“Our family is both troubled and heartbroken over the alleged actions committed by our son-in-law,” the statement read. “We are devastated for the young girl, a child who was courageous in every way to share her truth. We stand by her, both in support and prayer, and forever will. Our love for this child remains at the forefront of our family’s priorities and minds.”
Although Kendra’s family said they pray for all victims of crimes, they also “recognize how traumatic this incident has been for our grandchildren as well and continue to pray for their strength. Our love for them, and our daughter Kendra, remains.”
Earlier this month, Kendra’s family made news when they launched a GoFundMe page. Kendra’s father — who works as a mechanic and a pastor — said the money will go towards “moving expenses [and] housing costs such as rent until we can find a place to stay more permanently.”
“Right now, Christina and Paul are doing everything they can for their family,” a source shared with Us. “They want to get out of there and get away [from the Duggars]. How would you feel if every place you went, you ran into someone you didn’t want to see? There are so many of them. They just need to be out of there.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
