Amy Duggar Declares She's 'Sickened' But 'Not Surprised' by Cousin Joseph's Arrest on Child Molestation Charges

Amy Duggar is speaking out following her cousin Joseph Duggar’s arrest.

In a statement on Friday, March 20, which she shared in an Instagram video, Amy, 39, said, "In light of the recent allegations involving my cousin, Joseph Duggar, I am sickened, heartbroken and deeply angry."

"My first thoughts are with the victim, a child who deserved to be safe, protected and surrounded by people she could trust," she continued. "The courage it took for her to come forward, especially after years of carrying something so heavy, cannot be overstated. That bravery deserves to be honored above all else."

Joseph, 31, was arrested and charged with molesting a then-9-year-old girl while she was on vacation with family in Panama City Beach, Fla., in 2020, the Bay County Sheriff's Office reported on Wednesday, March 18.

According to authorities, the married father-of-four was booked into the Washington County, Ark., jail at 3:59 p.m. local time. The 19 Kids and Counting alum made his first court appearance via Zoom on Friday, where he waived his right to an extradition hearing.

Amy went on to say that she was "utterly shocked to hear about these allegations and Joseph’s arrest," before noting, "At the same time, I am not surprised that another alleged predator has emerged from this toxic system."

Amy was referring to Joseph's older brother, Josh Duggar, confessed to molesting multiple young girls, including his sisters Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar, when they were teenagers in the early 2000s.

While the molestation scandal broke in 2015, Josh, now 38, wasn't arrested in April 2021. He was convicted on possession of child p----ography and sentenced to 12.5 years behind bars with 20 years of supervised release.

"For years, I have spoken out about the importance of truth, accountability and protecting children, even when it meant going against my own family," Amy continued. "Family ties should never equal automatic trust or access, especially when it comes to the safety of children."

"When an image is protected over truth, and silence is chosen over accountability, it creates an environment where abuse can thrive," she said.

While promoting her book last fall, Amy notably recalled finding "thousands of p----ographic photos and videos of both women and men" years on an old device belonging to Josh years before his arrest, per an interview with Us Weekly.

"I have worked hard to break cycles in both my extended family and my immediate family," the former reality star went on. "My boundaries are in place for a reason, and I have used my voice to expose the darkness and advocate for the protection of children, a journey I wrote about in [my book] Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the Truth as a way to help others recognize harmful patterns, speak the truth, and find their voice in toxic systems."

Amy concluded her statement by saying she's "praying for the victim and her family as they walk through what is sure to be an incredibly difficult road ahead."

"Recognizing that we do not yet know the full picture, I am also praying for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, as she begins to process this, and for the protection of their children," she added. "I’m praying for eyes to be opened and above all, I pray that justice will be served to the fullest."