Joe Duggar seen happily playing with children in Panama City Beach two years before alleged assault of girl, 9, in same town

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Recently surfaced video shows Joe Duggar vacationing in Panama City Beach, Florida, two years before he was accused of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl there, according to the Daily Mail.

The video is circulating again following charges against Duggar, 31, for inappropriate acts with a child under 12 and inappropriate behavior with an adult, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

Josh Duggar, known from the reality show ’19 Kids and Counting,’ looked disheveled and hadn’t shaved when his booking photo was taken on Wednesday after he was arrested in Washington County, Arkansas.

Footage from the TLC show ‘Counting On’ shows the father of three laughing and playing with his baby son, Garrett, in 2018.

He and his wife, Kendra, 27, traveled with Kendra’s mother, Christina, 46, who was pregnant with their eighth child, Isaiah, who is now seven years old.

Duggar was laughing and smiling as he played with his three-month-old son and spent time with Kendra’s younger brothers and sisters.

The family often vacations in Panama City Beach, and they were there in 2020 when the alleged crimes Duggar is now accused of occurred.

The alleged victim, now 14, told police that when she was nine years old, Josh Duggar abused her during a family trip to Panama City Beach, Florida in 2020. The area is sometimes called the ‘Redneck Riviera’.

On Wednesday evening, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, published Duggar’s booking photo.

The reality TV personality, married to Kendra since September 2017, had a full beard and a serious, unsmiling look. This was a stark difference from the cheerful mugshot of his brother, Josh, taken in Washington County in 2021.

The person who claims Joe Duggar harmed them told investigators the family was living on Danny Drive when it happened.

According to the sheriff’s office, Duggar ‘repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,’ and his actions seemed to become more concerning as the vacation went on.

In a separate account to police, the girl said Joe invited her to sit beside him on the couch and then put a blanket over both of them, after which he rubbed his hands on her thighs.

According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Duggar inappropriately touched the victim and made unwanted sexual contact with her genitals.

According to the sheriff’s office, Duggar apologized to the person who accused him, and the incidents stopped after that.

According to the sheriff’s office, Joe admitted to what happened after being confronted by the alleged victim’s father on Tuesday. The conversation took place in Tontitown and was also witnessed by a detective.

Duggar was arrested and faced charges related to the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12, as well as related offenses due to his age.

Authorities with the sheriff’s office said that he is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County.

A representative for the Duggar family confirmed to the Daily Mail on Wednesday that they hadn’t yet released a public statement regarding the recent controversy.

In May 2015, Josh Duggar, Joe’s brother, publicly apologized after a 2006 police report came to light. The report detailed an investigation from when he was a teenager, alleging inappropriate contact with five girls under the age of 18.

Honestly, when I heard about what Josh did back in 2015, I was completely heartbroken. It was awful. My sisters, Jill and Jessa, were so brave to come forward and share what happened to them – they were among those he hurt, and it just confirmed everything I feared. I was so glad Joe finally spoke out against his behavior; it was the right thing to do.

Following the claims made in 2015, Josh acknowledged his behavior was unacceptable and that he had caused pain to those around him, including his family and friends.

In December 2021, he was convicted on two counts of knowingly receiving and possessing child pornography – charges that were separate from the earlier accusations.

In a December 2015 episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, Joe Dugger expressed his surprise regarding the accusations against Josh.

Looking back, it’s honestly heartbreaking to think about. When I was around twenty, discovering my brother was living a completely hidden life was something none of us could have predicted. It really shattered me, and it still does when I think about it.

In December 2021, Josh was convicted of possessing child pornography – charges separate from the earlier accusations – and received a prison sentence of 12 years and seven months.

He’s currently incarcerated at the Seagoville Federal Corrections Institute in Texas, a low-security prison, and his prisoner number is 42501-509.

His earliest possible release is October 2, 2032.

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2026-03-19 21:49