Things appear to be dicey within the Duggar family following the April arrest of Josh Duggar on child pornography charges.
There has been talk of a divide between some siblings, as several remained quiet while others took a stand and released statements about the matter.
With Counting On canceled, the family obligations for filming are over, and now, the siblings are free to make their own decisions.
Duggar family strained over Josh Duggar arrest
A source close to the Duggar family spoke exclusively with People and gave some insight into what is happening within the Duggar family.
They told the magazine, “They aren’t as close as they once were because of all of Josh’s legal drama. It’s creating a lot of stress on them — although the majority of the family is acting like nothing has happened.”
Interestingly, they talked about Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo’s disconnect from the Duggars. Once they were married in 2016, Jinger left for Texas to be with her new husband. Since then, they relocated to California. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar haven’t been to visit much, but some of the siblings have.
Jill Duggar was also addressed. She walked away from the show in 2017, and the rift between herself and her parents has been heavily focused on over the last year. Jill talked about recouping money she wasn’t paid while appearing on the show. Derick Dillard has openly criticized his in-laws and was the first to spill the tea about the rift.
The rest of the siblings have been less vocal about where they stand, though. Austin Forsyth and Joy-Anna Duggar took their time releasing a statement, but they did eventually. Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald also issued a statement, but it wasn’t as poignant or powerful as what Jill or Jinger had to say.
Josh Duggar trial
As of now, Josh Duggar is scheduled to go to trial on November 30. Initially, the trial was supposed to begin in July, but it was pushed back for more time at the request of the defense.
Josh Duggar entered a not guilty plea, and the source told the publication that “he really thinks he’s going to get out of it.”
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are standing behind their son and supporting his family in the process. That isn’t shocking, given they have stood beside him in the past, but the allegations are much more serious this time.