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Josh Duggar’s Siblings Have ‘Distanced Themselves’ From Anna Amid Josh’s Guilty Verdict: ‘She’s Upset’
The Duggars are “torn apart.” Following former 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar‘s guilty verdict in his child pornography trial, some of his siblings have chosen to withdraw from his wife, Anna Duggar (née Keller), a source exclusively tells In Touch.
“Anna is still speaking to [Jim Bob Duggar] and [Michelle Duggar], but a lot of the siblings have distanced themselves,” the insider says. “She was upset that some family members decided to speak out against Josh. That broke her heart.”
On December 9, Josh, 33, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. According to prosecutors, some of the images found on devices Josh used contained images of children under the age of 12. The disgraced reality TV star faces up to 20 years and $250,000 in fines for each count.
“[Jill Dillard‘s (née Duggar)] and her husband [Derick Dillard] are happy that justice was served. [Jinger Duggar Vuolo] called Josh a hypocrite and said that [she was] praying for his soul,” the source adds. “Some of the relationships may be salvageable, but Anna says that’s only because of her faith and the power of forgiveness.”
During Josh’s child pornography trial, long-time family friend Bobye Holt took the stand for the prosecution. During her testimony, Bobye claimed Josh confessed to molesting young girls, including four of his sisters, while he was a teenager.
In Touch obtained a police report from 2006 through the Freedom of Information Act in 2015, revealing that Josh inappropriately touched five underage girls. Two of his sisters, Jill, 30, and Jessa Seewald (née Duggar,) came forward as victims in 2015.
On December 14, Derick, 32, seemingly hinted that he would help Anna and her seven children, all aged 12 and under, whom she shares with Josh.
“Our hearts are sensitive to the pains Josh’s wife, Anna, and their seven children have already endured and will continue to process in the future. This trial has felt more like a funeral than anything else,” Jill and Derick’s statement, published on the day it was announced Josh was found guilty, read. “Josh’s family has a long road ahead. We stand with them, we are praying for them, and we will seek to support them however we can during this dark time.”
Jim Bob, 56, and Michelle, 55, also shared a statement via their family blog.
“In the days ahead, we will do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support,” it read. “As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children. In each of life’s circumstances, we place our trust in God. He is our source of strength and refuge. Thank you for your prayers.”
However, Jinger, 27, released a strong condemnation of Josh on December 10, stating she is “thankful to God for exposing Josh’s actions,” and “fears for his soul.”
“We are saddened for the victims of horrific child abuse. We are also saddened for Josh’s family, his wife and precious children,” Jinger stated. She then wrote, “We are saddened for the dishonor this has brought upon Christ’s name. Josh claims to be a Christian.”
Josh is currently being held in solitary confinement at the Washington County Correctional Facility in Arkansas for “safety reasons,” where he awaits his sentencing hearing.
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