Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of child pornography and sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.
Josh, the oldest child in the Duggar family, was detained and accused of receiving and possessing child pornography in April 2021. On December 9, 2021, a jury found him guilty on the charges, and he received a 12-and-a-half-year prison term. Several Duggar family members, including Josh’s wife Anna, have spoken out about it. Anna seems to be dejected with his sister and cousins for speaking out against her husband.
The Duggar family first gained notoriety on the popular TLC reality series 19 Kids & Counting , which followed parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar as they raised their big family in a Christian home. A four-part documentary series called Shiny Happy People examines the cult-like inclinations of the Duggar family and dissects the Institute in Basic Life Principles or IBLP, the stringent religion the 19 Kids & Counting family adheres to.
The show featured Jill, her husband Derick Dillard, their cousin Amy Duggar King, and family acquaintances. It is founded on Bill Gothard’s teachings, which emphasize male authority, large families and a modest dress code for female members. According to sources who spoke with In Touch , Anna does not intend to watch the show and is against her sister-in-law’s involvement in it.
They revealed, “Josh’s wife Anna isn’t a fan of Jill. While she isn’t saying much, I hear that she doesn’t want to watch the documentary and thinks the people who participated are toxic.”
The sources further added, “Anna’s faith has been tested enough, but apparently she’s still a strong believer. She has shifted away from the core beliefs of IBLP, but her faith is all she has.” They continued, “Some say Anna needs to watch it, to get another wake up call, but she’s not ready. She’s still trying to cope with what Josh did,” they said.
As per The U.S. Sun , Josh and Anna wedded on September 26, 2008. Together, they have seven kids, Madyson, Michael, Mackynzie, Marcus, Meredith, Maryella and Mason. Josh and Anna are still together despite Josh’s alleged affairs, sexual assault allegations, and conviction for child pornography. Anna continues to reside at the Duggar family home in Arkansas as of June 2023.
Many things are temporary, family is forever. Nothing can replace the precious time we spend with each other! ♥️ • • • #littleduggars #time #cherishthemoment #family pic.twitter.com/sFmzSHVDxM
— Anna Duggar (@Anna_Duggar) November 24, 2020
While Amy had offered assistance throughout the process, the mother of seven seems to have declined the offer. Previously, a different insider claimed to In Touch that Anna had cut ties with the Duggar clan as well, saying, “Anna took [family members speaking out] as a betrayal and she’s still not ready to fully forgive some family members.”
Previously, Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, opened up about many of the negative experiences they went through, before distancing themselves from the Duggars. In one of the episodes of the docu-series, the pair claimed that they had little influence over the content of the program.
They further asserted that they were excluded from the bargaining process and that until they pushed for it, they were not paid for their appearance. “We had no choice in the fact that 4.4 million people watched our wedding,” Derick remarked.