Prosecutors have shared a phone recording as new evidence in Joseph Duggar’s child molestation case.
The “19 Kids and Counting” alum is facing charges in Florida .
What is in the recording is not known. As per Page Six , prosecutors also filed another document on the same day. In it, they added a new name to their list of witnesses: a woman who is linked to a children’s safety organization in Arkansas.
The private recording was given to his legal team as newly disclosed discovery, according to court documents filed in Florida’s Bay County Circuit Court on October 22.
What the case is about
Kendra was released shortly after being booked. He was accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl in Florida. He was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim younger than 12, and lewd and lascivious behavior by a person 18 or older, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The affidavit says that on March 17, the girl’s father spoke to Joseph about it at a family party. Days after his arrest, Joseph’s wife Kendra Duggar was arrested in Arkansas on March 20, according to Page Six. Joseph is waiting for trial at home in Arkansas after posting a $600,000 bond, according to People. As a condition of his release, he cannot have unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, including his own children.
As per Page Six, Joseph was arrested out of state in March. This led to the investigation. She was charged with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. Joseph was hit with the same charges that day. “I wanted to encourage her as she goes forward in this trial: Don’t let up. Give it all you’ve got. He has pleaded not guilty. He could face a possible life sentence if convicted on both counts.
The girl said the incidents happened during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, according to an affidavit obtained by People. She said Joseph asked her to sit on his lap many times. At first, he would “cradle [her] with his arms,” per the affidavit. She said it changed over time and happened “several times. She said she felt “uncomfortable” and “confused. As per People, the father told police that Joseph confessed. Amy said she will keep supporting the girl, both publicly and privately, in the coming weeks. Be a little spitfire and speak your truth,” Amy said.
