Reading Time: 3 minutes
Kendra and Joseph Duggar might be receiving plenty of support from his family as he battles child molestation charges.
But Kendra’s family is being much more objective about this situation, choosing to believe the teenage girl who came forward and alleged that Joseph molested her in 2020, when she was just 9 years old.
In a statement posted to their Instagram page, Kendra’s parents, Paul and Christina Caldwell, praised the accuser for having the courage to talk to police.
“We are devastated for the young girl, a child who was courageous in every way to share her truth. We stand by her, both in support and prayer, and forever will,” the Caldwells wrote.
“Our love for this child remains at the forefront of our family’s priorities and minds. We are proud of her for being strong enough to share her story while also retaining her own identity and joy,” the couple continued, adding:
“We pray all victims of crimes can be as courageous as this young girl is. They should be able to share their story, to trust in the judicial process, and to do so without fear of retaliation. You are not alone.”
While the Caldwells might not be on speaking terms with their daughter and son-in-law (more on that later), they made sure to express their love and concern for their four grandkids by Joe and Kendra.
“At the same time, we also recognize how traumatic this incident has been for our grandchildren as well and continue to pray for their strength. Our love for them, and our daughter Kendra, remains,” the Caldwells wrote.
The Caldwells and the Duggars used to be quite close.
In fact, Paul Caldwell was the Duggars’ pastor for several years, and we probably don’t need to tell you that this family takes their religion quite seriously.
But these days, there are unconfirmed reports that the Caldwells were the ones who reported Joseph’s crimes to the police.
We don’t know if that’s true, but there’s definitely been some sort of falling out.
In one of Joseph and Kendra’s prison phone calls, we learned that they owned the house that Kendra’s parents were living in, and they were planning to kick them out.
“The only way to freedom is to shine light in the darkness. And in this time, part of the light in our lives has come through the outpouring of love and prayer from people near and far,” the Caldwells wrote in their statement, adding:
“Thank you who have given in all the ways, through prayer, finances, time, energy and words of encouragement. We love you all.
“At this time, we have no further comment and request privacy,” they concluded.
Joseph entered a not guilty plea at his April 20 arraignment. He is currently free on $600,000 bail.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Kendra Duggar’s Parents Praise ‘Courageous’ Joseph Duggar Accuser For … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.