Amy Duggar King, a member of the Duggar family, praised the girl who spoke out about the alleged sexual assault by her cousin, Joseph Duggar. During a podcast called Carrie Berk on Fire Chats: The Mindfire Pod, Duggar King mentioned that she was proud of the girl for her bravery in coming forward. She acknowledged that it was a scary situation for the girl, noting that staying silent could have given Joseph more power.
Duggar King plans to continue supporting the girl as the legal case against her cousin progresses. She encouraged the girl to stay strong during the trial and to be fearless in sharing her story. Joseph Duggar was arrested after the girl reported that he assaulted her multiple times while they were on a family vacation when she was 9 years old. Now 15, the girl detailed in a legal affidavit that Joseph would ask her to sit next to him on a couch and cover themselves with a blanket. He allegedly lifted her dress and touched her thighs, among other inappropriate actions, which left the girl feeling uncomfortable and confused.
The girl’s father confronted Joseph about the accusations during a family gathering. He later informed law enforcement that Joseph had confessed to the alleged abuse. Joseph faces charges of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12 and lewd or lascivious conduct. Duggar King shared her emotional reaction upon hearing the news, expressing that she cried and reached out to her cousin, Jill, for support.
Currently, Joseph is awaiting trial at his home in Arkansas after posting a bond of $600,000. If convicted on both charges, he could face life in prison. He has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. As a condition of his release, Joseph is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with any minors, including his own children. When asked if she has been in contact with Joseph or his wife, Kendra, Duggar King stated that it is not worth her time and feels she has nothing to say to them at this moment.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org.
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Source: popculture.com, by Samantha Whidden