Josh Duggar’s child pornography trial and conviction have put a spotlight on the rest of the 19 Kids and Counting family members. Jana Duggar is the latest to face her own legal issues, as the news of her being charged with child endangerment seemingly drew parallels to the situation with her brother, who was accused a few years ago of molesting his sisters during childhood. Members of the Duggar family were quick to defend Jana, and now she’s offered an update on what led to her charge.
Jana Duggar posted a statement about the incident to her Instagram Stories and tried to set the record straight with fans on what exactly happened that led to police involvement. Duggar mentioned that she preferred to keep a private life, but due to the widespread circulation of the inciting story, she needed to share the circumstances of the child endangerment charge that she’s pled “not guilty” to.
The raw facts: I was babysitting a few months ago when one of the children wandered outside alone. A passerby who saw the child called the police. This resulted in a written citation, as well as a follow-up with child welfare who concluded that it was an accident and the child was unharmed. They recognized it was a case of a child slipping out of the house when you turn your back for a moment. It all happened so quickly and was scary.
Jana Duggar's side of the story confirms previous reports that the charge was not tied to her brother Josh Duggar, who was recently found guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography, with sentencing to come next year. This incident is entirely unrelated and, it would seem, possibly something that could be handled relatively quickly by the courts, provided Duggar’s statement is in line with how authorities saw things.
Jana Duggar continued her statement to address speculation that she’d been arrested, and stated it isn't true. Duggar also pointed out that, as unfortunate as the incident was, she’s glad it all turned out safe and alright in the end, saying:
I am grateful for law enforcement and those who protect and serve our community. I was certainly never arrested like some may have implied. In the end, I was just upset at myself that it had happened at all but so thankful it all ended safely and that’s truly what mattered the most to me.
Jana Duggar is currently set to appear in court on Monday, January 10, 2022, to address the charges against her. As previously mentioned, Duggar initially pled “not guilty,” though if she is indeed found guilty, she could face up to three months in prison, as well as a fine of up to $1,000.
Jana Duggar’s story is out there, but now it’s on the courts to decide if there will be any punishment for a child endangerment charge. Of course, she and the rest of the Duggar family will still face the court of public opinion as more headlines surface from Josh Duggar's guilty verdict.
