Joseph Duggar and his wife, Kendra, quietly expanded their family with a fourth child in 2022, a year after they unexpectedly withdrew from social media, as revealed by RadarOnline.com.
Previously, the couple had shared their family moments with three young children on Instagram. However, the remaining photos are now filled with messages of support for Kendra and the kids, following Joseph’s arrest on allegations of child molestation.
Joseph and Kendra tied the knot in 2017 after a brief courtship.
They became parents to their first child, Garrett, in 2018, followed by Addison in 2019. Their third child, Brooklyn Praise Duggar, was introduced to the world via an Instagram post on February 23, 2021. However, they did not publicly announce the arrival of their son, Justus, who was born in late spring 2022.
The couple became increasingly private after their last Instagram post in November 2021, celebrating Addison’s second birthday. This post appeared just a month before Joseph’s brother, Josh, was convicted on child pornography charges in December 2021 and sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
Interestingly, Joseph’s biography on the main Duggar family website has not been updated to reflect his status as a father of four, which is surprising given the family’s tradition of celebrating new additions.
Fans only became aware of Justus when Kendra was seen with a baby boy in a July 4, 2023, YouTube video posted by Joseph’s sister, Jinger Duggar Vuolo.
Online clues suggested the baby was born around June 2022.
The child’s name, Justus, was later confirmed in a June 2023 obituary for Kendra’s grandmother, Peggy Ann Caldwell, which listed her great-grandchildren as Garrett, Addison, Brooklyn, and Justus.
Joseph’s arrest marks another troubling episode for the Duggar family, as the allegations against him are serious.
A 14-year-old girl alleges that during a family vacation in Panama City, Florida, in 2020, Joseph “manipulated” her underwear and “grazed her genitals,” while also rubbing her thighs under a blanket. She was only 9 years old at the time.
The girl’s father learned of the incident on March 17, when Joseph reportedly confessed to him and Tontitown Detectives, according to the Bay County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office.
Joseph was arrested on March 18, and his mugshot was taken by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in Arkansas, showing a noticeable change with a grown beard and darker hair.
He faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, including molestation of a victim under 12 years old, and is awaiting extradition to Florida for his initial court appearance.
The Duggar family gained fame on the TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, featuring the large family led by Jim Bob and Michelle.
The series, which focused on their devout fundamentalist Christian lifestyle in Tontitown, Arkansas, was canceled in 2015 after it was revealed that their eldest son, Josh, had confessed in 2003 to molesting at least five girls, including some of his sisters, during his teenage years.
Some of his sisters later starred in a spinoff, Counting On, which ended in 2021 following Josh’s arrest for possessing and receiving child pornography. He is currently serving a 12-year sentence at FCI Seagoville in Texas.
