BREAKING NEWS'19 Kids and Counting' Star Joseph Duggar Accused of Molesting 9-Year-Old Girl on Vacation
Joseph Duggar has been accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl while on vacation in 2020.
March 18 2026, Published 10:50 p.m. ET
19 Kids and Counting alum Joseph Duggar has been accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl while vacationing in 2020.
According to an outlet, Duggar, 31, was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older, the Bay County Sheriff's Office shared on Wednesday, March 18.
The reality star is now awaiting extradition to Bay County to face the charges, People reported.
He was booked into the Washington County, Ark., jail on March 18 at 3:59 p.m. local time.
The alleged incident occurred in 2020.
The alleged incident happened when Duggar reportedly asked the victim to sit on his lap while she was on vacation with her family in Panama City, Fla., in 2020.
"As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs," Bay County Sheriff's Office said.
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The victim is now 14.
"The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions, and the incidents stopped after the apology," the officials said.
The victim, now 14, participated in a forensic interview regarding a report of past sexual abuse. The victim's father confronted Duggar about the incidents, and Duggar "allegedly admitted his actions to the father and Tontitown detectives."
Duggar has been married to his wife, Kendra Renee Duggar, since September 8, 2017.
Josh Duggar confessed to molesting multiple young girls.
Joseph's scandal comes after his brother Josh Duggar, confessed to molesting multiple young girls, including his sisters Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar, when they were teenagers.
He also admitted to using Ashley Madison to have an extramarital affair. He was married to Anna Duggar at the time.
In May 2019, Josh allegedly used the "dark web and online file-sharing software" to download "child sexual abuse material from the internet multiple times," the Department of Justice previously reported.
In April 2021, Josh was arrested. He was later found guilty of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. He was sentenced in May 2022 to 12.5 years behind bars. He is currently serving out his sentence at FCI Seagoville in Seagoville, Texas, with an anticipated release date in August 2032.
