Joseph Duggar has reportedly been placed in a secure area of Arkansas’ Washington County Jail while awaiting extradition to Florida.
TMZ reported in the early hours of Friday, March 20, that 31-year-old Joseph has “no access” to other inmates. Staff have been keeping Joseph “under constant watch” because of his status as a reality star, the outlet said, citing a supervising corporal at the jail.
Officers with body cameras have reportedly been placed in close range to Joseph’s cell, the report added, noting that the 19 Kids and Counting alum is being checked on hourly.
Florida’s Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday, March 18, that Joseph had been taken into police custody after being accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2020. The Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas arrested Joseph at about 3 p.m. local time after Bay County authorities secured a warrant.
The alleged incident took place in Panama City Beach while Joseph and his family were on vacation six years ago.
“The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,” the Bay County Sheriff’s Office statement read. “As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket.”
The statement continued, “During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.”
Joseph and his wife, Kendra Duggar, have yet to publicly comment on his arrest.
Joseph rose to fame alongside his family when 19 Kids and Counting premiered on TLC in 2008.
Jill Duggar became the first member of the family to speak out about her brother’s arrest on Thursday, March 19, writing that she and husband Derick Dillard were “shocked and heartbroken” in a blog post.
“We were shocked yesterday evening to learn of Jill’s brother (Joseph Duggar’s) arrest,” their post read. “We first learned of anything related to his charges yesterday via a text from a friend who messaged us about the recent media reports of Joseph’s arrest and his alleged confession to molesting a juvenile female in 2020.”
Their statement continued, “We strongly condemn abuse. We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved. Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family. We pray God gives her strength, comfort and hope, and that she is able to get all the help and support she needs and deserves in the days ahead.”
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