Jim-Bob Duggar and wife Michelle celebrated Father's Day with their family -- minus son Josh, who is awaiting trial over two counts of child pornography possession.
The Duggar family came together for a special Father’s Day celebration on Sunday, June 20. As seen in a video shared by the family’s official Instagram account, Duggar matriarchs Jim-Bob, 55, and Michelle, 54, were joined by many of their children, son and daughter-in laws and grandchildren for some outdoor activities. At one point in the video, Jim-Bob and Michelle, who have 19 children together, shared a sweet kiss. Their daughter Joy-Anna Duggar, 23, commented on the video, “Best way to spend Father’s Day!❤️.”
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Josh Duggar, Jim-Bob and Michelle’s eldest child, was absent from the family affair, as expected. The 33-year-old father of six was arrested on April 29 and charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Homeland Security agent Gerald Faulkner said in court that authorities had obtained over 200 images of child pornography from Josh’s electronic devices in March 2020. He called it “the worst of the worst” material he’s ever had to examine in his 11 years at his job.
Per a judges ruling, Josh was released from an Arkansas detention center pending trial, but was not allowed to return home to his pregnant wife Anna Duggar, 32, and their six young kids: Maryella, 18 months, Mason, 3, Meredith, 5, Marcus, 8, Michael, 10, and Mackynzie, 11. He is allowed “unlimited contact” with his kids, provided Anna is present, but cannot contact any other minors, including his 18 siblings’ children. Josh is currently living with third party custodians, family friends Lacount and Maria Reber as he awaits trial.
Josh pleaded not guilty to both charges in a Zoom court hearing. Should the former 19 Kids and Counting star be found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for each of the two counts. Josh’s arrest comes six years after it was revealed that he had sexually abused four of his younger sisters and a babysitter when he was a teenager, years earlier.
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Several of Josh’s family members have spoken out since his arrest. His sister Jill Duggar, who was one of Josh’s molestation victims years back, released a statement along with husband Derick Dillard saying, “We just found out this information yesterday. It is very sad.” Jinger Duggar, who was also molested by Josh, addressed her brother’s arrest in an Instagram statement on Apr. 30 alongside husband Jeremy Vuolo. “We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh,” the couple wrote. “While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice.” Meanwhile, Jim-Bob and Michelle wrote on their website, “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.”
