Kendra Duggar’s dad, Paul Caldwell, gave an update on his family’s housing situation amid Joseph Duggar’s ongoing legal issues.
“Just wanted to say a heartfelt thank [you] to all those who have sacrificed to help and encourage, the prayers and encouraging words have been most helpful to us,” Caldwell said in a new message via his GoFundMe page on Wednesday, April 29. “There have been a few unkind comments, but I believe those are mostly due to [a misunderstanding] of the situation.”
Caldwell reiterated that the money from the fundraiser was not “going to help anyone who would harm children in any way.”
“We are willing to stand for the protection of the weak and vulnerable in society, because of that stand we have been put in a situation that has [caused] the [loss] of our current housing situation and employment, having to relocate on such short notice has left us in a bit of [a] financial struggle,” his message continued. “We also need to have some time to get some much needed counseling.”
Caldwell concluded his post expressing his gratitude for the “support” that has been provided to his family.
Us Weekly confirmed in March that Joseph was arrested in Arkansas following accusations of sexual abuse from a 14-year-old girl who claimed he molested her when she was 9. He has since pleaded not guilty to all charges, including lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older. Joseph was released from a Florida jail in late March after posting $600,000 bail.
In addition to the molestation case, Joseph and Kendra, who share four kids, were both charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment. Kendra was arrested in March and released after posting bail. The endangerment charges are unrelated to the molestation allegations.
Earlier this month, Kendra’s parents launched a GoFundMe after both Joseph and Kendra were arrested for separate crimes.
“My family is facing a difficult and urgent situation. We are in need to cover displacement expenses,” Caldwell wrote in the initial message on the GoFundMe. “We will not be using these funds for [our] legal expenses.”
Caldwell explained that the donations would be used for “displacement fees” including “moving expenses, housing costs” and more.
Since its creation, the fundraiser has earned more than 34,000 at the time of publication. Its goal is $35,000.
Amid the family’s struggles, Christian influencer Amy Paul accused the Duggars of retaliating against the Caldwells amid Joseph’s ongoing case. Paul claimed last month that the Caldwells were being forced out of their home and that Joseph was trying to turn his wife against her parents. She also alleged that the Caldwells are the ones who reported Joseph to police over child molestation allegations.
A source close to the families, however, later refuted Paul’s framing of the situation, telling Us that the Duggars have been “very good to the Caldwells” over the years.
“[The Caldwells] lived in a Duggar home rent free for years — years more than was offered, genuinely taking advantage of their kindness,” the insider claimed. “After this they moved into their current home Joe and Kendra built to flip. Yet they stayed rent free for two plus years all while Joe and Kendra urged them to move out. It was after being told to move out that all this happened.”
