Jana Duggar is the oldest of the 19 Kids and Counting daughters, leaving some to wonder if she was one of the siblings Josh Duggar reportedly molested.
The reports about Josh’s Duggar’s molestations from several years back are running rampant–both online and on broadcast news programs today. The disappointment and disgust shared by the public has prompted TLC to pull 19 Kids and Counting from its lineup.
Jana Duggar, Jill Duggar Dillard, Jessa Duggar Seewald, and Jinger Duggar are the four older Duggar daughters. Might all four girls have been among Josh Duggar’s molestation victims? He reportedly molested four of his female siblings and one victim from outside the family.
Josh Duggar and his parents both issued statements on the matter Thursday.
TLC pulls '19 Kids and Counting' amid molestation scandal involving Josh Duggar http://t.co/lslk7cmIu4 pic.twitter.com/83XhE7k67m
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 22, 2015
“Back 12 years ago our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives. When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before,” Jim Bob and Michelle said in a statement to People magazine.
“Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God. We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family,” the statement read.
“I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions,” Josh said in a separate statement released by People, “I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.”
June Shannon–known as Mama June from the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo TV show–voiced her anger earlier today in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. She was disgusted that 19 Kids and Counting wasn’t pulled from the air immediately, and she believes TLC covered up knowledge of Josh Duggar’s actions for years.
June Shannon’s own reality show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, was canceled last October following reports that she was dating a convicted child molester named Mark McDaniel. McDaniel was convicted of molesting Shannon’s oldest daughter, Anna Cardwell, when she was just eight years old. Shannon denied last fall that she and McDaniel had renewed a romantic relationship.
“I feel cheated still,” Mama June tells ET. “I was honest with [TLC]. I told them about everything from the get go. They knew the story. They sealed Anna’s records because she was under 18.”
#TLC officially releases a statement on the #19kidsandcounting molestation drama! http://t.co/soSIxvwQiL pic.twitter.com/jaB79V1Uam
— Perez Hilton (@PerezHilton) May 22, 2015
Jana Duggar still lives at home with parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, as well as 15 of her siblings. Back in March it was rumored she was leaving the family’s reality show, but that didn’t prove true. She is the twin sister of John-David Duggar.
Jana Duggar and sister Jill are midwives, and helped deliver the baby of a 19 Kids and Counting crew member when the whole gang traveled to China.
You go, ladies! Jill and Jana Duggar help deliver a 19 Kids and Counting crew member's baby in China: http://t.co/yODWmDIVen
— E! Online (@eonline) May 12, 2015
It’s uncertain if word will ever emerge as to which siblings Josh Duggar molested. However, given the time frame when the molestations took place, it would make sense that Jana Duggar was among them.
How must this make Jana Duggar feel, if she in fact was one of her brother’s victims?