Amy Duggar ‘deeply angry’ over cousin Joseph Duggar’s child molestation arrest: ‘I am sickened’

Amy Duggar has responded to her cousin Joseph Duggar’s child molestation arrest, saying she feels “sickened” over the situation.

“In light of the recent allegations involving my cousin, Joseph Duggar, I am sickened, heartbroken and deeply angry,” she said in a statement obtained by People Friday.

“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.”

The “19 Kids and Counting” alum said she was “utterly shocked to hear about these allegations and Joseph’s arrest,” however, she is “not surprised that another alleged predator has emerged from this toxic system.”

“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 said, noting that “family ties should never equal automatic trust or access.”

The “Holy Disruptor” author claimed she has “worked hard to break cycles in both [her] extended family and immediate family” and will always be an “advocate for the protection of children.”

Amy, 39, said she is “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. I’m praying for eyes to be opened and above all, I pray that justice will be served to the fullest.”

Her emotional statement comes after Joseph’s arrest in Arkansas on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim younger than the age of 12 and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 or older, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The victim told officers that she was 9 years old in 2020 when she was allegedly involved in several incidents with Joseph during a family getaway in Panama City Beach, Fla.

The victim claimed Joseph repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap and also touched her genitals during the same vacation. She also recalled various times Joseph allegedly rubbed her thighs and said he later apologized and stopped the conduct.

On Tuesday, the victim’s father addressed the incidents with Joseph, and he confessed to the crimes to the father as well as Tontitown officers, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

However, Joseph’s older brother Josh slammed the “false accusations” against his brother on Thursday.

Josh, notably, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material in 2021. He was also accused of sexually abusing five girls – including sisters Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar – in the early 2000s.

Josh – speaking through his lawyer from prison – claimed to share the same “stigma” Joseph has.

“He lives with the painful reality of how false accusations can destroy a life. He understands how the targeting of a person for publicity can twist the truth into sensationalized fiction,” Josh’s lawyer told the Daily Mail on Friday.

Meanwhile, Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, spoke out saying that they were “shocked” by the news of Joseph’s arrest but stand with the victim.

The “heartbroken” couple also went on to give “love” to Kendra and their four children.