Joseph Duggar, a previous cast member of the popular TLC series “19 Kids and Counting,” was taken into custody in Arkansas on Wednesday for engaging in inappropriate behavior related to unlawful sexual activity with a minor, as per authorities. The charges stem from a 2020 incident in Florida, where a 14-year-old girl disclosed in a forensic interview conducted in March 2026 that Duggar had molested her during a family trip to Panama City Beach when she was 9 years old.
The arrest of Duggar took place in Tontitown, Arkansas, the location where “19 Kids and Counting” was filmed. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office stated that the victim’s father confronted Duggar about the incidents on March 17, 2026, and Duggar confessed to both the victim’s father and Tontitown Detectives.
A separate release from the Tontitown Police Department mentioned that a warrant for Duggar’s arrest was issued on Wednesday, and he is awaiting extradition to Bay County. Neither Duggar nor his family have addressed the allegations publicly.
This development follows the arrest and conviction of Duggar’s brother, Josh Duggar, who was found guilty of possessing explicit content depicting child abuse. The investigations began after authorities in Little Rock, Arkansas, discovered child exploitation material linked to Josh Duggar. He was sentenced to 12½ years in prison in 2022.
The cancellation of “19 Kids and Counting” in 2015 was a result of allegations against Josh Duggar for molesting his sisters and a babysitter. Although authorities determined that the statute of limitations had expired for potential charges, the show was terminated by TLC.
In response to the resurfacing allegations in 2015, Duggar’s parents acknowledged his wrongdoing and his subsequent resignation as a lobbyist for a Christian organization. Joseph Duggar, in a segment of the TLC special “Jill & Jessa: Counting On,” expressed his shock over his brother’s hidden behavior, stating, “It broke my heart.”