Prosecutors in Joseph Duggar's child molestation case have revealed new evidence, including a private phone recording, as the proceedings continue. This recording was submitted to Duggar's legal team as part of the newly disclosed discovery, according to court documents filed in Florida's Bay County Circuit Court on October 22.
The specifics of the recording's content have not yet been made public.
In a separate filing on the same day, prosecutors also added a witness affiliated with an Arkansas children’s safety organization to their witness list.
Duggar was arrested in March and accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl in Florida. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office stated at the time that he was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim younger than 12, and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 or older. The minor, who is now 14, accused Duggar of grooming and sexual assault, alleging that incidents occurred during a 2020 family vacation where he allegedly touched her genitals while she sat on his lap and cradled her. The affidavit indicates the alleged assault occurred multiple times, and Duggar reportedly apologized to the victim afterward.
In the days following Joseph Duggar's arrest, his wife, Kendra Duggar, was arrested in Arkansas on March 20. She faced four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. She was released shortly after being booked. Joseph Duggar also faced the same charges on the same day.
In June, Joseph Duggar was granted supervised visitation rights with his children. A request to amend a motion that prohibited him from staying within 500 feet of the alleged victim’s former Florida home was denied.
Duggar, 31, is scheduled to appear in court again on November 10.
(If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.)