EXCLUSIVE: Joseph and Kendra Duggar's Alleged Locks on Their Kids' Doors Raise 'Legitimate Red Flags' for Their 'Overall Safety' Amid Child Molestation Investigation
Joseph and Kendra Duggar were both arrested for child endangerment.
March 30 2026, Published 5:06 p.m. ET
Joseph and Kendra Duggar were both charged with endangering the welfare of a minor and false imprisonment after authorities searched their home and allegedly found locks on the outside of bedroom doors.
According to Jamie E. Wright, Los Angeles lawyer and the founder of Wright Law Firm, this raised "legitimate red flags regarding confinement and control" of their four children, as well as worries for their "overall safety," RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Red Flags
Joseph and Kendra Duggar married in 2017 and share four children.
Their home situation would be particularly concerning to investigators because there have been allegations of both "illegal behavior" and "child welfare" issues, as Joseph, 31, was arrested earlier this month for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl during a vacation to Florida back in 2020.
The disgraced former reality star is accused of asking a child – who is now 14 years old – to "sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket," before he "manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals," per the arrest affidavit.
According to Wright, the "combination of these two concerns will likely result in a multi-layered investigation that examines both criminal liability and parental ability to provide a safe environment for children."
Other Duggar Family Members Could Be Questioned
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are Joseph's parents.
As for what comes next, Child Protective Services (CPS) and law enforcement agencies will "scrutinize the environment, supervisory actions, [and] previous knowledge," from the adults in the family as they determine whether or not anyone else close to the kids "had a duty to report their suspicions of abuse."
"Generally speaking, CPS and law enforcement will examine who knew what, when did they know it, and did the adult(s) take any action to protect the child?" she continued. "Additionally, CPS will investigate if there are additional victims or witnesses that have not yet made themselves known."
Josh Duggar was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on a child pornography charge.
Josh Duggar's own legal issues and history with molestation allegations could only make this investigation more complicated. Back in 2015, it was revealed that he once admitted to inappropriately touching his sisters when he was a teenager. Years later, he was arrested on child pornography charges and sentenced to serve 12.5 years in prison.
Wright exclusively told Radar that if "numerous allegations of sexual misconduct" involving minors occur within a family, "law enforcement agencies are required to investigate these allegations based upon the familial relationship."
This does not imply the guilt of anyone else in the family, but it does mean authorities could "expand the investigative scope."
Joseph Duggar Transported From Arkansas
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Joseph Duggar was arrested on March 18.
As Radar previously reported, the 31-year-old was recently transported from the Washington County Jail in Arkansas as he awaits extradition to Florida to face potential child molestation charges.
Wright additionally weighed in on whether Joseph will remain behind bars once he arrives.
"When there are allegations of admissions of sexual misconduct against young victims, high bonds are usually set," the lawyer shared, noting that it was also possible that he could be "detained pending trial under stringent conditions."
