Joseph Garrett Duggar — one of the children in the “19 Kids and Counting” family — has been charged with allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2020.
Duggar was arrested and charged with molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older Wednesday, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida reported.
The victim, who is now 14, told investigators the alleged incident happened while she was on a vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida, with her family.
Duggar allegedly asked the girl to sit on his lap, then he asked her to sit next to him and covered both of them with a blanket, the sheriff’s office said in a release.
The office said: “Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.”
Duggar later apologized and it stopped, officials said.
The girl’s father confronted Duggar about the crimes on Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said, adding that Duggar admitted to police and the father what he had done.
He was booked into jail in Washington County, Arkansas, per People magazine.
Duggar lives in Arkansas and is awaiting extradition to Florida.
Duggar is not the first member of the family to be in trouble with the law for sex-related crimes.
Duggar’s older brother, Josh Duggar, was convicted for possessing child sex abuse material. He was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison in 2022 and is expected to remain in prison until 2032. His appeal for a new trial failed in 2023.
The allegations against Josh Duggar go back to 2006 after a family friend told authorities that Josh Duggar allegedly molested four of his sisters. The investigation did not go further because the statute of limitations had passed.
Both Duggars are married and have children.
