Joseph Duggar arrested for allegedly molesting 9-year-old girl during Florida vacation
His older brother, Josh Duggar, was convicted and sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison in 2022 for possessing child sex abuse material
By Brie Stimson Fox News
Published March 18, 2026 10:14pm EDT
Joseph Garrett Duggar was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl years earlier.
The former "19 Kids and Counting" star 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, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
The alleged victim, now 14, told investigators during a forensic interview that the allegations happened while she was on a vacation to Panama City Beach in Florida with her family in 2020.
During the vacation, the former reality star 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 for what he allegedly did to the girl, 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 what he had done to him and police.
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