What to Know
Following Joseph Duggar‘s arrest earlier this month, we have another update on his case. As of just days ago, Joseph is no longer in custody at Arkansas’ Washington County jail, where he’s been held since he was arrested on March 18. So does that mean he’s been extradited to Florida, per court orders? It seems likely, but for now, Bay County, where his charges stemmed from, isn’t talking.
Joseph has been transferred.
According to People, Joseph was released from custody in Arkansas on Friday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. He was held there for a little over a week after he was arrested following accusations that he molested a 9-year-old girl during a family vacation to Panama City Beach in Florida in 2020. After waiving his rights to an extradition hearing, it seems Joseph went willingly to Bay County, but the Sheriff’s office there did not confirm that he was in their custody.
People also reported that prosecutors have yet to file their official charges in that county, so that may have something to do with it, but either way, he didn’t appear as an inmate in their system as of Monday afternoon.
He just spoke with his wife, Kendra, about legal representation.
Joseph’s wife, Kendra, was arrested on child endangerment and false imprisonment charges stemming from a different incident involving the couple’s four young children on March 20 — and those charges were also added to Joseph’s list. Though she was booked and released within a two hour time period, she also has a hearing coming up on April 29, and in a call between her and her husband that was made public, she can be heard letting him know that someone named Travis is her lawyer, but not his.
It makes sense that they’d each need their own lawyer, even in the case that involves the both of them.
He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
Critics on Reddit discovered that Joseph is scheduled to appear in court in Bay County on the morning of March 31, despite the fact that the county has yet to confirm that he’s in their custody. He is expected to appear remotely from the Bay County jail in a hearing that will be live streamed on YouTube, so there’s no doubt that plenty of people will be tuning in to find out what happens next.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, have finally broken their silence, issuing a statement about the situation via their spokesperson who said they are “heartbroken over this entire situation.”
The statement continued, “Right now, they are focused on loving their family and helping Kendra and her children during this difficult time. They are praying for the victim. They ask for privacy and appreciate the kind words and prayers offered by so many.”
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