Amy Duggar Says She Feels ‘Emotionally Exhausted’ Amid Cousin Joseph’s Arrest Scandal

Amy Duggar King has been trying to make sense of the news that her cousin Joseph Duggar was arrested for alleged child abuse. 

“Hey TikTok, it’s been a minute. I’ve taken a minute from videos and whatnot because I literally don’t even know what to say,” Amy, 39, said in a TikTok video shared Thursday, March 26, “I feel emotionally exhausted from all of this. It’s not about me, I know it’s not … but my heart hurts. I know I’m not the only one.”

Joseph, 31, was arrested on March 18 for unlawful sexual activity with a minor after being accused of molesting a 9-year-old child in Florida in 2020. The victim, now 14, claimed in a police statement that the Counting On alum “eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped.” The police report further claimed that Joseph admitted his alleged actions to the victim’s father at the time.

Two days later, news broke that Joseph is also facing four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, second degree and four counts of second degree false imprisonment. Joseph’s wife, Kendra Duggar, was arrested on the same charges and released within hours on bond.

Joseph, for his part, is currently awaiting extradition to Florida.

“Joe was the last person that I expected,” Amy said in her Thursday social media video. “We’re all wanting answers right now. … He’s behind bars tonight. I cannot comprehend that.”

Joseph is being held in solitary confinement at the Washington County Detention Facility in Arkansas.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time reading, uh, reading the Bible, they got me a Bible in here,” he told Kendra during a phone call obtained by People earlier this week. “I’m in solitary. [I’m in a] pretty small area, but I’ve been able to read a lot actually, and resting some, but I’m not sleeping great through the night.”

@amyrking

Joes arrest.

♬ original sound – Amy Duggar King

Joseph further told his wife, with whom he shares four children, that it was “nice” to hear her voice. They also reportedly discussed Joseph signing over the belongings that he checked in when he was booked over to Kendra, so that she could collect them.

Joseph, who has been married to Kendra since 2017, is one of Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children. The 19 Kids and Counting patriarch and matriarch have yet to publicly address his arrest, though Amy predicted how they reacted. (Amy is the daughter of Jim Bob’s sister, Deanna Duggar.)

“Alright, I’m so sorry that we’re going through this again as a family,’” Amy theorized in a Friday, March 27, TikTok video of her uncle’s potential response to his other kids. “‘What’s most important is that we band together and that we show family loyalty and that we love each other no matter what. And right now, we need to just be closer than ever. Including our social media.’”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.