Duggar couple retracts not-guilty pleas in Arkansas child endangerment case

Joseph and Kendra Duggar, known from the reality series “19 Kids and Counting,” were charged on March 20 with four counts each of child endangerment and false imprisonment after a search of their home by local police and the Arkansas Department of Human Services. They pleaded not guilty in April, but that plea was withdrawn before a scheduled hearing, opening the possibility of a guilty or no-contest entry. The charges arise from a 2020 incident in which a 9-year-old girl accused Joseph of molestation while the family vacationed in Florida, an allegation he later acknowledged during a confrontation with the girl’s father.

Joseph also faces separate Florida charges of lewd behavior with a minor and remains under a pre-trial condition barring unsupervised contact with anyone under 18. Kendra’s no-contact order with the alleged victims was lifted in April, and she has been allowed supervised reunification with her children. The couple now awaits a judge’s ruling on potential sentencing or other penalties.