Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of CSAM and child sexual assault.
Captain J. Bowen of the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas is sharing details about the events that led to Wednesday’s arrest of former Counting On star Joseph Duggar. In addition, a new video has been released showing Joe being booked into the Washington County Jail on Wednesday.
As The Ashley reported on Wednesday, the 31-year-old husband and father was apprehended Wednesday afternoon and booked into the Washington County Jail in Arkansas on charges of Lewd and Lascivious Behavior– Molestation of a Victim Less Than 12 Years Old, as well as Lewd and Lascivious Behavior Conducted By a Person 18 Years or Older.
While Joseph was arrested in Arkansas, he is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County Florida, as this is where the past alleged abuse reportedly took place in 2020.
On Thursday, Captain Bowen of the Tontitown Police Department recalled to KNWA and FOX24 News in Northwest Arkansas that his department received a call Wednesday regarding the alleged incident, and once it was determined that the incident hadn’t occurred in Tontitown, detectives proceeded to make contact with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Captain Bowen noted that the BCSO issued a warrant and sent it to Tontitown Police, who then executed the warrant and ultimately arrested Joseph later that afternoon.
As the BCSO reported on Wednesday, one of their detectives learned about Joseph’s alleged crimes when a now-14-year-old victim disclosed in a forensic interview several incidents involving Joseph that occurred during a 2020 family vacation in Panama City, Florida, when the teen was nine years old. The victim claimed that Joseph asked her repeatedly to sit on his lap during the trip, as well as next to him on a couch, and then covered them with a blanket. She went on to state that Joseph “manipulated” her underwear and “grazed her genitals,” and continued to rub his hands on her thighs.
Joseph eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents reportedly stopped; however, investigators learned that the victim’s father confronted Joseph about the incidents earlier this week, at which point Joseph reportedly admitted his actions to the victim’s father and to Tontitown detectives.
According to Captain Bowen, his department takes claims of this nature “very seriously.” While he acknowledged that detectives worked fast this week, he assured the public that things were also done right.
“If we find out that there’s someone that might want to come in to our community and harm a child, then yes, we get on that pretty quick and we’re aggressive with it,” Captain Bowen said. “Our department does take this very seriously and as soon as the call came in yesterday, our detective jumped on it and made sure that it happened extremely fast.
“ … we did take our time and made sure things were done right, but we also acted quickly and made contact as soon as we found out where it happened … safety is our main concern here,” he added.
As of press time, the Duggar family has not released a statement on Joseph’s arrest.
Click here to watch Captain Bowen’s full statement.
Thursday also saw the release of a video that shows Joseph being booked into Washington County jail, where he remains as of press time.
In the video, the police officer asks Joseph is he’s “been here before,” to which Joseph replies “no, not on this side.” He then proceeds to talk about his brother. (He likely means that he’s not been the one behind bars at the jail before, but had visited his jailbird brother Josh when he was locked up in that same jail.)
Found Joseph’s intake video
byu/britneyspears6969 inDuggarsSnark
RELATED STORY: Breaking News! Former ‘Counting On’ Star Joseph Duggar Arrested on Charges Involving Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor
(Photos: TLC; X; Reddit)
17 Responses
It’s weird that people are trying to figure out who the victim is. SHE WAS AND STILL IS A CHILD. SHE DESERVES SPACE AND PRIVACY. PERIOD.
Who it is doesn’t matter. What’s important is that he’s being held accountable for his actions and that she is healing.
Amen! This was what always bothered me about the whole situation with Josh. By releasing that report it exposed that his sisters were his victims. They deserved privacy and should never have had to have anyone know about it unless they chose to tell them. Let alone the whole world. This little girl deserves her privacy.
I bet you there are more in his family tree, starting with Jim Bob
Absolutely horrific news. Wishing the best to all those affected by this predator and his choices.
I wonder what lead to this all coming to light so many years later?
Do you really think a 9yr old child has the capacity to fully understand what happened? I was molested as a child and didn’t tell my mom until I was a teenager preparing for my baptism. I had so much guilt about what happened and felt like I needed to confess to being a victim. She needed time to process what happened, understand that it was wrong, and feel safe enough to tell someone who would believe her
Can you imagine raising two pedos? Literally any other type of criminal would be preferable.
I’m sure Jim Bob always knew that some of the kids would grow up and move to different states, but he probably never expected their addresses would contain the word penitentiary.🤷
Everything points to the victim being one of Kendra’s sisters, so his sister in law. His own father in law went to the police. I’m glad they didn’t try to cover this. Let’s hope he spends the foreseeable future in jail and Kendra can divorce her before he does it to his own daughters
How about we not assume these things? It’s disgusting and uncalled for. It should NOT matter who the victim is and what SHOULD matter is that the victim was, still is, a CHILD. Being obsessed with trying to figure out a MINOR victim’s identity makes you just as bad as Joseph and Joshua.
It matters a lot that you are so deviant that you are willing to abuse a kid in your family. It matters because SHE TRUSTED HIM, she was on vacation with them. If he’s willing to abuse his own family member, he’s willing to abuse any kid.
And the fact that you compare me with two pedos just shows what an absolute idiot you are. Comparing ANYTHING to a pedo is absolutely disgusting and delusional. Go fuck yourself
The usually abuse those closest as they have the most access, except ones who get careers in something related or trusted position.
I feel so bad for his wife and her family. They don’t carry any blame, the father did the right thing and used his knowledge to elicit a confession. Whoever the victim may be, and i agree we shouldn’t speculate on names, i hope they get help.
The victim should be able to come forward if they want, but only then.
You are being a bit drastically here in calling them obsessed and saying they are the same as a pedophile. Gtfo. So uncalled for
You obviously are terrible at your detective work. Kendra’s sister, Olivia Grace, is 15 now and would’ve been 10 at the time. I don’t think the police would lie about the victim’s age then and now, do you? Both the Duggars and the Caldwells are friends with other large families who most likely vacation together. Therefore, the victim could’ve been a family friend’s daughter, a friend of Olivia’s or Timothy’s. Who Joseph also knew. Besides, it has been confirmed that it was NOT a Caldwell. So stop assuming, stop pointing fingers and let the young victim be anonymous. It’s her story and when she’s ready, if she wants to, will come forward to the public.
“Sh*t.”
– Josh Duggar sitting in his cell hearing this news while in the midst of his “I’m Innocent Give Me a New Trial” campaign…probably.