FL - Second Duggar Son Joseph Garrett Duggar, 31, Arrested for Crimes Against a Minor, 18 March 2026

[HerNameWasBuffy]

Speculation only, but maybe, while he is in custody, he refuses to disclose where the kids are being hidden. Thus , he is also being charged with the four counts.

Interesting, if that's the case it would make sense even if he was in custody.

I could be wrong as Idk the law on this, but I'd think if they hid the kids from LE she wouldn't have been bonded out on ~$1400? At least I'd hope not.

 

[QB2022]

I think locks on bedroom doors or similar is the most likely scenario.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Before Kendra was arrested.
Hopefully Lauren does an update

 

[DS2021]

Duggars have a long history of locking bedroom doors from the outside, so if I were a betting woman my money would be on deadbolts, padlocks, or such on the outside of the bedroom doors or on a prayer closet.

Wasn't that in the aftermath of Josh molesting his sisters? I don't forsee that being an issue with the age group that was living in the home

https://www.kron4.com/news/duggar-parents-placed-locks-on-bedroom-doors-after-fondling/

 

[HerNameWasBuffy]

Wasn't that in the aftermath of Josh molesting his sisters? I don't forsee that being an issue with the age group that was living in the home

https://www.kron4.com/news/duggar-parents-placed-locks-on-bedroom-doors-after-fondling/

Yes, but at the time he would have been seven so it would have been what he'd known. I doubt JB and Michelle explained why at the time, so he may not have known the reason until he was an adult. I know it was a few years later when they moved into the TTH, but IIRC this started in the tiny house, although how you police that with so many kids in such a small space with so many being really small Idk.

Pure speculation on my part, I could be completely wrong.

 

[Cool Cats]

Kendra Duggar Charged Alongside Husband Joseph Duggar as Police Announce New Counts in Ongoing Investigation - Fri, March 20, 2026 at 7:08 PM EDT​

Kendra Duggar Charged Alongside Husband Joseph Duggar as Police Announce New Counts in Ongoing Investigation

The couple face four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment, according to Arkansas authorities

www.yahoo.com

According to a Friday, March 20, press release from the Tontitown Police Department, both Joseph, 31, and Kendra, 27, are now facing four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree, and four counts of false imprisonment in the second degree.

Authorities said arrest warrants have been issued and served for the misdemeanor offenses through District Court.

 

[Cool Cats]

Joseph Duggar's wife released after being charged for fale imprisonment of minor

19 Kids and Counting star Joseph Duggar's wife, Kendra, has been released from jail hours after being arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor

www.mirror.co.uk

Joseph Duggar Faces New Child Endangerment Charges in Arkansas

The charges in Arkansas are unrelated to his ongoing child molestation case in Florida, according to police.

parade.com

Police confirmed to KNWA/FOX24 that the Arkansas charges are unrelated to the ongoing case in Florida. However, they did note their investigation was launched after learning of the alleged incident in Florida.

Joseph’s booking shows he has a court date for the Arkansas charges on April 29. Kendra is scheduled to appear in court that day as well.

 

[gitana1]

If that’s the case, she knew her husband was messing with kids and decided to look the other way instead of call the police right there. Why put locks on the doors unless he’s already molested one of the kids? Throw the whole book at her.

True. Although there must have been a time lag between the time he initially confessed to the father and the time the police set up the recorded call, and ultimately arrested him. Perhaps Kendra put locks on the kids’ doors at that time and only she had the key. Why she wouldn’t just kick him out is beyond me.

 

[Ruminations]

Gee, Michelle. Who's job is it to teach their children good touch vs bad touch?

And who should actually listen to the victims and find out directly from them how they understood the attack, if not their own mother.

It's extremely rude to her own children to tell them how much they understood or what they understood.

MOO

 

[killarney rose]

She won’t kick him out because you are bound to your husband for life in that cult no matter how vile he is.

 

[Izzylizzy]

For those that are unaware, the Duggars are not JUST "christians." They are part of a sect that many people, including other formal christian denominations, accuse of being a CULT. It is called IBLP (sometimes also referred to as ATI as the schooling aspect of it). The founder, Bill Gothard, had been accused in a large lawsuit by women who were raised in IBLP that they were sexually abused by Gothard when they were minors. This was not some distant leader, the Duggars were very close to Gothard. So for people waving away the religious aspect, I believe this is very important context.

Also, homeschool strikes again! You know I love to say it - as someone who myself was homeschooled, had a good experience, and is now helping to homeschool a family member. Public or private schooling, along with more homeschool regulations, does NOT guarantee that we suddenly have a world without child abuse. Yes, lots of abuse happens with public school kids. Both with both public and private school, you have a first line of defense of safety nets. Whereas with unregulated homeschool, there ARE NO lines of defense. And it is used as a safe haven for abusers to legally make their victims disappear and make it virtually impossible for them to seek help, essentially trapping them. This relates to Joe and Kendra as they were homeschooled, and they homeschool their children, and virtually all of their friends are also in the homeschool community. This victim most likely had very little contact - if any at all - with people outside of the homeschool community. Which is one (of many) reasons why it took them a long time to reveal what had happen. What does a child do when their entire reality is only family and family friends and virtually no one outside that circle, which includes their abuser who comes from a family who is idolized in their community? Think about how much harder that is for the victim to come forward. It is a wonder any come forward at all, but I am glad they find the courage to do so. They are true heroines.

An excellent post and thank you for sharing.
The 14 yr old teen is to be commended for her bravery and her father also for not only believing his daughter but actually contacting the authorities.

When it involves these high demand religions after parents are told by their child of having been SA'ed the buck usually stops there and the authorities are never contacted.
imo

 

[HerNameWasBuffy]

True. Although there must have been a time lag between the time he initially confessed to the father and the time the police set up the recorded call, and ultimately arrested him. Perhaps Kendra put locks on the kids’ doors at that time and only she had the key. Why she wouldn’t just kick him out is beyond me.

What was the timeline between when the victim's dad confronted him and the police call?

 

[Cool Cats]

Joseph Duggar Told Detective His 'Intentions Were Not Pure' While Confessing to Repeatedly Molesting Girl, 9: Affidavit

New details about the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl by Joseph Duggar are being revealed in an arrest affidavit

www.aol.com

BCSO Criminal Investigator Chase Norris writes in the affidavit that he was told by a detective from the Tontitown Police Department that Joseph had confessed to molesting the minor while speaking with her father on March 17.

Norris "requested the detective and victim’s father call the defendant."

Once on the phone, the affidavit states that Joseph "admitted his actions," saying "he touched the victim over her clothing." Joseph also "admitted his intentions were not pure."

 

[Serononin]

according to cousin amy in her book she wrote. grandpa dagger s'ad many people over the years women but i'm speculating he could have done stuff to his grandsons and that's how they learned it. amy said when her and her mother lived her grandparents a lock was placed on her door to prevent grandpa from entering and harming her...

grandma didn't leave her husband so its generational and the grandkids more like grandsons thought it was ok.
as for kendra i've seen reports all over online about possibly also having locks on the doors.
her father had a falling out with jb circa 2020-2021 and told him apparently he was not allowing any of his kids to court any duggars.
I
hope she gets real help and not christian help to better herself and that she can parent her kids better and leave her husband but if those kids are in danger and if they have been abused they are better off with cps at the moment or family other than jb and michelle

I'll have to check out Amy's book. I listened to the audiobook of Jill's, hearing her read it herself was very moving

 

[Serononin]

Was there a scandal about JD as well?! I thought it was just Josh and now Joseph who had public allegations of CSA?

I think they meant JD as in Josh Duggar, not JD as in John David (this is the problem with them all having J names!)

 

[tlcya]

This still shocks and disgusts me just like the first time I heard MD say this about her young daughters having been molested by brother JD.


2015
"Michelle Duggar focused on her son’s behavior and intent, saying her daughters “weren’t even aware ... they didn’t probably even understand that it was improper touch.”

Josh Duggar 'was a child preying on a child,' his father says

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, stars of the hit TLC reality show "19 Kids and Counting," said they felt like failures after hearing that when their oldest son, Josh, was a teenager, he was involved in inappropriate conduct with several underage girls, including more than one of his younger sisters.

www.latimes.com

MD: They were probably so naive they didn't realize they were being assaulted/abused so no harm no foul.

 

[MsMarple]

Joseph Duggar Told Detective His 'Intentions Were Not Pure' While Confessing to Repeatedly Molesting Girl, 9: Affidavit

New details about the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl by Joseph Duggar are being revealed in an arrest affidavit

www.aol.com

View attachment 653966

From your link:

Once on the phone, the affidavit states that Joseph "admitted his actions," saying "he touched the victim over her clothing."

Joseph also "admitted his intentions were not pure," according to the affidavit.
——-
Didn’t Josh also claim he touched his victims over their clothes? Why don’t I believe Joseph either?

Waiting to see if anything is found on Joseph’s electronics…

 

[COSCitizen]

From your link:

Once on the phone, the affidavit states that Joseph "admitted his actions," saying "he touched the victim over her clothing."

Joseph also "admitted his intentions were not pure," according to the affidavit.
——-
Didn’t Josh also claim he touched his victims over their clothes? Why don’t I believe Joseph either?

Waiting to see if anything is found on Joseph’s electronics…

I wonder if he gave probable cause on the recorded call for seizing his electronics.

 

[Serononin]

I wonder if he gave probable cause on the recorded call for seizing his electronics.

I wondered about that, too

 

[HerNameWasBuffy]

I think they meant JD as in Josh Duggar, not JD as in John David (this is the problem with them all having J names!)

Ah, that makes sense! Thanks.