Where Josh Duggar’s Family Stands After His Child Pornography Scandal: Jim Bob, Michelle, Jill Duggar and More

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Where Josh Duggar’s Family Stands After His Child Pornography Scandal: Jim Bob, Michelle, Jill Duggar and More

Wading through the bad? Josh Duggar’s ups and downs have tested his family over the years — and caused many of them to publicly denounce him and his actions. The eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar made headlines in 2015 after multiple girls claimed he had molested them years prior. Josh apologized for his actions at the time, revealing that he'd previously sought counseling for his "wrongdoings" as a teen. “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” Josh wrote via the family’s Facebook account in May 2015. “I hurt others, including my family and close friends.” The incident — which involved four of Josh’s sisters — and its resurfaced story led to the Duggars reexamining their dynamic. In April 2021, Jinger Duggar exclusively told Us Weekly that despite the pain that Josh brought to the group, everyone came out stronger. “Our family was way closer because of that, and in spite of that, I guess you’d say. I will never forget how I felt in that moment,” Jinger said at the time. “And I think even everything that happens in our lives — because we’re in the public eye — it makes it more challenging because then it’s not just dealing with these things inwardly, but you have to give an answer to the world. That makes it a much tougher thing to walk through.” Later that month, Josh again turned heads when he was arrested in Arkansas for allegedly receiving and possessing child pornography. His family was put through the wringer once more, with multiple siblings speaking out about the case. [jwplayer yzGVs1IT-zhNYySv2] "The recent accusations brought against Josh sadden us to our core. We have not wanted to be hasty in making any statements while trying to process the news ourselves,” Joy-Anna Duggar and her husband, Austin Forsyth, said in a statement via their Instagram Stories in May 2021. “We are especially heartbroken by the reality that there are children in the world being harmed and exploited. We ask for prayer for all those involved and it is our continued prayer that the truth comes to light." In December 2021, Josh was convicted of two counts of receiving and possessing child pornography. He was sentenced in May 2022 to 151 months, which equates to a little over 12 years, in prison for his crimes. “This trial has felt more like a funeral than anything else,” sister Jill Duggar said in a statement on her and husband Derick Dillard’s blog following the conclusion of the trial. Josh’s mom, however, continued to fight for her son to be released. In a letter obtained by the Daily Mail in May 2022, Michelle requested leniency when it came to Josh’s sentencing, arguing that he is a good man deep down. “[Josh] has friends and family who will love and support him in his abilities to succeed as a husband, father, business owner, and man both now and in the future,” she wrote, noting that she still offers her “continued love and encouragement to Joshua.” Michelle added: “We ask that he would be reunited with his wife and family in a timely manner.” Scroll down to see where Josh stands with the rest of the Duggar family:

Credit: Courtesy of The Duggar Family/Instagram

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

Josh’s parents have remained supportive of their son after he pleaded not guilty to receiving and possessing child pornography in April 2021. The Duggar patriarch and matriarch, however, have also vowed to trust the legal system.

“We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time,” the duo said in a statement to Us in April 2021. “The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family.”

Once Josh was convicted in December 2021, the pair explained that the “entire ordeal has been very grievous.” Jim Bob and Michelle expressed sadness in their statement for “anyone who has even been harmed through [child sexual abuse material],” before noting they would be there to continue and help Josh’s wife, Anna Duggar, and her seven kids.

“In the days ahead, we will do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support,” they said, adding that they haven't given up on Josh. “As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children. In each of life’s circumstances, we place our trust in God. He is our source of strength and refuge. Thank you for your prayers.”

Ahead of Josh’s sentencing, Michelle penned a heartfelt letter on her son’s behalf, pleading for a lesser sentence. “My heart is to share some things about Joshua's character that may not be fully known to the court. It is my sincere hope these things are taken into consideration as a fair and just sentence is determined,” she wrote in a letter obtained by the Daily Mail in May 2022. “Joshua has always been a positive and upbeat person. He is wise financially — saving money for the future and purposing not to go into debt. He is a good provider for his family, working diligently and thinking of creative ways to support and care of his wife and children.”

Credit: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram

Anna Duggar

Anna has been married to Josh since 2008, and although Josh previously confessed in 2015 to cheating on his wife, the couple have remained together. They share seven children, the youngest of whom Anna welcomed in November 2021, months after Josh was arrested in the child pornography case. Anna stood by her husband’s side throughout his trial and was spotted holding his hand and smiling on multiple occasions.

Following his conviction, she wrote a letter to the judge to try and lessen her spouse’s sentence. “Joshua sees the best in people and is willing to walk alongside them to help make their dreams a reality,” she wrote in a letter obtained by the Daily Mail in May 2022. “I ask that you consider reuniting us as a family again soon.”

She added: “Joshua is an engaged dad who gladly throws a football with his sons, listens to our daughters play a new song they have learned on the piano, helps answer homework questions, or lends a hand sweeping up spilled crackers. He is a kind, loving, supportive, and caring father and husband.”

Credit: Courtesy of Jill Duggar/Instagram

Jill Duggar

The Growing Up Duggar coauthor and husband Dillard distanced themselves from the greater Duggar family in 2017 after they exited Counting On. “We found out we didn’t have as much control over our lives as it related to the show and stuff, as we needed,” Jill said in a YouTube Q&A three years later. “We’re not on the best terms with some of my family. We’ve had some disagreements, but we’re working toward healing definitely and restoration, but we’re having to kind of just take some time and heal.”

Jill’s relationship with Josh is seemingly strained as well, having come out in 2015 as one of his molestation victims. “This is something that we chose to do. Nobody asked us to do this,” Jill told Megyn Kelly in June 2015, adding that she had “forgiven” her brother for his past behavior.

Six years later, Jill revealed that she agrees with the Arkansas court ruling in Josh’s child pornography case. “Nobody is above the law. It applies equally to everybody, no matter your wealth, status, associations, gender, race, or any other factor,” the mother of two wrote in a statement on her and Dillard’s blog in December 2021. “Today, the people of the Western District of Arkansas made that clear in their verdict. As a Christian, we believe we are all equal at the foot of the cross, and, likewise, we are all equal under the law.”

She also showed her sister-in-law Anna some love, noting that Josh’s actions “have rippled far beyond epicenter of the offense itself,” pointing out that Anna is “suffering” and so are their children. “Our hearts are sensitive to the pains Josh’s wife, Anna, and their seven children have already endured and will continue to process in the future,” Jill wrote. “Josh’s family has a long road ahead. We stand with them, we are praying for them and we will seek to support them however we can during this dark time.”

Credit: Courtesy of Derick Dillard/Instagram

Derick Dillard

Like his wife, Dillard has a strained relationship with the entire Duggar family and he has been vocal about Josh’s case since its start. “Praying for justice this morning,” the attorney tweeted in December 2021 at the beginning of Josh’s child pornography trial.

The Arkansas native attended multiple days of the trial to better learn the facts of Josh’s case. “We have been lied to so much that we wanted to hear the evidence for ourselves in court,” he wrote in a joint statement with Jill on their blog at the time. “After seeing all the evidence as it was presented, we believe that the jury reached a just verdict today, consistent with the truth beyond a reasonable doubt.”

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Amy Duggar

Amy has been focused on getting justice for all of her cousin Josh’s alleged victims from the moment he was arrested in April 2021. Ahead of Josh’s sentencing, Amy revealed how she really feels about her older relative — and she didn’t mince words.

“Please pray that Josh Duggar will be given the ultimate sentence. 20+ years,” she wrote via her Instagram Story in May 2022. She proceeded to call out her aunt Michelle after Josh’s mom wrote a letter to the court in hopes that her son would get a lighter sentence.

Amy explained: “First of all Josh is funny, charismatic, kind and all the things my aunt listed in the letter. But there’s a sinister side. A side to him that makes your skin crawl. You can’t ignore what he did years ago, and what he was caught looking at! Are they delusional?”

Credit: Courtesy of Jinger Duggar/Instagram

Jinger Duggar

The Hope We Hold coauthor has been open about how her older brother’s actions have tested their family over the years, dating back to 2015 when multiple women claimed he molested them years prior.

“Walking through that season, it was one of the hardest times of our lives,” Jinger exclusively Us in April 2021 of the 2015 incident. “It’s in those times where it’s not popular to be your friend, seeing how they responded really showed us the love of Christ through them and through their friendships.”

When Josh was arrested later that month for allegedly possessing child pornography, Jinger and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, were quick to condemn “any form of child abuse” in a statement. Eight months later, Jinger issued a statement in response to her brother’s guilty verdict, again siding with the victims.

“We are saddened for the victims of horrific child abuse. We are also saddened for Josh’s family, his wife and precious children,” she wrote via social media in December 2021 on behalf of the couple. “We are saddened for the dishonor this has brought upon Christ’s name. Josh claims to be a Christian. When a professing follower of Jesus is exposed as a hypocrite, the response of many will be to challenge the integrity of Jesus himself. … For Josh, we fear for his soul.”

Jinger revealed in her 2023 memoir, Becoming Free Indeed, that she hasn’t spoken to her older brother in two years. She exclusively told Us in January 2023 that it’s been “so tough and so sad” having to come to terms with Josh’s actions.

"I just continue to pray that his heart will be changed. Even writing this book, it also makes me realize, 'OK, there's more of a need for this,' because you can put on an outward front of who you say you are,” she explained at the time. “It's easy with these principles. ... But it has to be genuine from the inside out. It's not just putting on an outward front."

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Jeremy Vuolo

Vuolo has stood by his wife Jinger’s side through all her ups and downs with Josh amid his controversial acts. He expressed concern in May 2021 after learning that Josh was arrested in relation to possessing child pornography.

“Nothing can prepare someone to receive news like that,” Vuolo told TODAY Parents at the time. “Like everyone else, we are absolutely horrified, and want to see justice carried out.”

After Josh was found guilty of his crimes in December 2021, the “Hope We Hold” podcast cohost shared a social media statement about how he and Jinger feel in the aftermath.

“We are saddened for the victims of horrific child abuse. We are also saddened for Josh’s family, his wife and precious children,” he wrote. “We are thankful to God for exposing Josh’s actions and to a legal system committed to protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty in this case. We are grateful for justice. We are praying for further justice, vindication, protection, and healing for all those who have been wronged.”

Credit: Courtesy of Joy-Anna Duggar/Instagram

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth

The married duo attended Josh’s December 2021 trial, with Joy-Anna reportedly giving Anna a long hug during one of the recesses. Later that month, the pair, who had previously been somewhat quiet about the scandal, gave fans some insight into how the family had been affected by the drama.

"Over this last year, as you can imagine, there have been a lot of unanswered questions in our minds regarding Josh. We were able to sit through the trial to hear the evidence for ourselves," the twosome wrote in a joint statement via social media following the conclusion of the hearing. "We agree with the judicial system's verdict and we are thankful for the men and women who work tirelessly to protect children and help prevent child sexual abuse material. Our hearts break for all CSAM victims."

The duo gave their sister-in-law a shout-out as well, concluding, "We are praying for Anna and her children."

Credit: Courtesy of Jessa Duggar/Instagram

Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald

In June 2015, Jessa came forward with sister Jill as two of their brother Josh’s teen molestation victims. Josh was 14 when he inappropriately touched five young girls (four sisters and one babysitter).

"I think in the case of what Josh did, it was very wrong. I'm not going to justify anything that he did or say it was okay. It's not permissible,” Jessa told reporter Megyn Kelly in June 2015. “But I do want to speak up in his defense against people who are calling him a child molester or a pedophile or a rapist. That is so overboard and a lie, really."

While the incident was traumatic, Jessa concluded, “We’re all in harmony as a family and we love each other like crazy.”

When it came to Josh’s 2021 child pornography case, Jessa and her husband, Ben Seewald, put on a united front. The couple released a statement in December 2021, noting that they “prayed that God would cause the truth to be made known” no matter what that meant.

"We are grieved beyond words over the children exploited and abused in child sexual abuse material, and we are thankful for our justice system in its punishment of such evils,” Seewald shared via Twitter on behalf of their family. “Our hearts break for Josh's family and we ask your continued prayers for them in the unfathomable grief and pain they are enduring."

Credit: Courtesy of Claire Spivey/Instagram

Justin Duggar and Claire Spivey

The duo, who tied the knot in February 2021, have not said much about Josh’s case nor their relationship with the eldest Duggar sibling. The pair, however, did attend Josh’s December 2021 trial alongside Spivey’s mother, Hilary Spivey.

Credit: Courtesy of Jason Duggar/Instagram

Jason 'Jase' Duggar

After Josh was sentenced to 151 months prison in May 2022, his younger brother Jason (a.k.a Jase) weighed in via Instagram. "In my opinion, judge Timothy L. Brooks was fair in his ruling giving Josh a sentence that would be considered below the median for the crimes he has committed," the contractor wrote. "My heart is grieved over the choices my brother has made, his actions do not reflect that of a Christian believer and have doubtlessly defamed my Lord and Saviors name!! Joshua's poor decisions have greatly effected [sic] those around him, in particular his wife, seven children and our family as a whole."

Jase added that he will always have love for his eldest sibling despite his actions. "I will never stop loving my brother, regardless of what he does, just as my savior has forgiven me so I have forgiven my brother of his wrongdoings!" he explained. "My prayer is that God will use this circumstance to truly humble him and bring about a true change in his life!"