Jinger Duggar says arrest of younger brother Joseph on child sex charges is 'painful on many levels'

Jinger Duggar broke her silence on the arrest of her younger brother Joe and his wife Kendra on The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast on Wednesday, summarizing the series of events as 'just unthinkable.'

The reality star, 32, said, 'I did not think my heart could break like it has this week - the pain and heartbreak that we've had over this and just thinking of how it's affected so many.'

Jinger, who appeared alongside her husband and podcasting partner Jeremy Vuolo, said she was emotionally exhausted by the latest series of events.

On March 18, her brother Joe, 31, was arrested in connection with lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old in connection with a 2020 incident involving a nine-year-old girl. 

Joe was also charged with lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older, authorities with Florida's Bay County Sheriff's Office said.

Joe's wife Kendra, 27, was arrested March 20 in connection with endangering the welfare of a minor and false imprisonment, both in the second degree, the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas announced. 

On her podcast, Jinger said that it 'has been such a long week' and 'one of those weeks that feels like years.'

The Fayetteville, Arkansas native admitted that the family's latest legal issues – which come a decade after her older brother Josh's past molestation of multiple young girls was brought to light – have been unthinkable to fathom.  

Jinger described the latest series of events as 'so hard and painful on many levels.'

Vuolo, 38, called the news of both arrests 'devastating to hear,' and said he and his spouse have made efforts to 'think through and pray through this' disastrous situation, which is not the first time that one of her brothers have been caught up in a legal situation involving underage sex.

Vuolo said that their thoughts have been with the victim impacted by the alleged actions that landed Joe and Kendra in custody.

'Thinking about the victim who was brave enough to share her story has been heartbreaking - just the effect on that young person's life is unimaginable,' Vuolo said.

Vuolo said that the 'ripple effect of that horrific crime' is 'devastating to think about.'

Jinger squared the latest news about Joe with her brother Josh's multiple documented incidents involving underage girls - one of which led to the swift cancellation of the family's TLC series in 2015.

'You can't be prepared for news like this, even though we've experienced something very similar before, with one of my other siblings, who made unthinkable choices - decisions that have affected all of us.

'And yet the pain and hurt that's caused to us, but then to so many others, is just so hard.'

Josh, 38, remains in prison in connection with his 2021 conviction in connection with receiving and possessing material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to a statement from the Bay County Sheriff's Office, the incident involving Joe occurred in 2020 in Panama City Beach, Florida during a vacation.

'As the vacation continued, he also asked [the victim] to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket,' officials said. 'During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim's underwear and grazed her genitals.

'Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs. The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology.'

For those who have been impacted by sexual abuse, text 'STRENGTH' to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.