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Kendra Duggar's 'Parents Urging Her to Divorce Husband Joseph' After His Disturbing 'Child Molestation' Arrest

Photo of Joseph and Kendra Duggar
Source: @littleduggarfamily/Instagram

Kendra Duggar's family is concerned about their daughter following her arrest.

March 27 2026, Published 5:45 p.m. ET

Kendra Duggar's family reportedly is urging her to divorce husband Joseph Duggar following his arrest for child molestation, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The mother of four, 27, found herself in handcuffs after investigators came to her family's home to do a home study regarding Joseph's case. It wound up with both of them getting charged with multiple counts of child endangerment and false imprisonment.

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Kendra Duggar's Family 'Wants Her To Divorce Joseph'

Photo of Joseph and Kendra Duggar
Source: @littleduggarfamily/Instagram

No Duggar children have been involved in divorces so Joseph and Kendra would be a first.

"I was told that her family wants her to divorce Joseph," Without a Crystal Ball founder and Duggar expert Katie Joy Paulson claimed in an in-depth March 25 video.

Paulson was allegedly told by sources that Pastor Paul Caldwell and his wife, Christina, have been telling their eldest child: "You can divorce him. We want you to divorce him. We want you to get your life together, do what's right for yourself and your kids, and get him away from you."

The independent journalist claimed: "The sentiment here is that if Kendra gets herself in a better situation away from Joseph and away from the Duggars, that she has the ability to get herself together and that Joseph was really putting her in an ugly place."

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Joseph and Kendra Duggar's Children Removed From Their Home

Photo of Joseph and Kendra Duggar
Source: @littleduggarfamily/Instagram

Joseph and Kendra Duggar are seen with their two oldest kids in December 2020.

Joseph and Kendra's four children, ranging in age from two to seven, were removed from the home by authorities following her March 20 arrest — he was already behind bars for the molestation case — and Paulson said the children are "100 percent not with the Duggars" at this time.

It's believed that sons Garret and Justus, and daughters Addison and Brooklyn, are being taken care of somewhere else after they were removed by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Investigators found the doors to the children's rooms had locks only on the outside, raising red flags and leading to the false imprisonment charges.

"I was also told that these locks on the doors were not a Kendra thing. It was not a Kendra idea. That was a Joseph thing. And it was because his parents did that to him when he was a child," Paulson alleged in the video.

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Joseph Duggar Asked Kendra's Father for Permission to Marry Her

Photo of Paul Caldwell
Source: TLC/YouTube

Kendra Duggar's dad warned Joseph that marriage was a 'big step.'

Kendra's family members are no strangers to fans of the Duggars, as they appeared on the 19 Kids and Counting spinoff show Counting On.

In an October 2017 episode, Joseph was seen asking Pastor Paul if he could marry his daughter after they had been courting for several months

After leaning forward in his chair, the Lighthouse Baptist Church founder told Joseph, "Well, that's a big step."

"We've talked many hours, and I really feel like the Lord's leading in this direction, but I do want to remind you that you're taking one of my most precious gifts," Paul told Joseph about the eldest of his nine children.

He then gave the TLC star his blessing, saying how Joseph had "honored my wife and I, and our choices through this whole process, and look forward to seeing what God's gonna do with you two.

Paul went on to officiate Joseph and Kendra's wedding in September 2017.

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Kendra Duggar is Free on Bail

Photo of Joseph and Kendra Duggar
Source: @littleduggarfamily/Instagram

While Joseph Duggar remains behind bars, Kendra Duggar is free on bail.

Joseph is still sitting behind bars in Arkansas' Washington County Detention Center, awaiting extradition to Florida to face charges of alleged lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a nine-year-old girl in 2020.

The incidents occurred during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida.

The victim recently told her father, who reported it to the Tontitown, Ark., police. The dad and a detective got on the phone with Joseph, who confessed to the alleged crimes and said his "intentions were not pure."

Kendra was freed hours after she was taken into custody, after posting a $1,470 bond. She was seen being picked up at the WCDC by none other than her mother-in-law, Michelle Duggar.

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