What Was The Settlement In Jana Duggar's Child Endangerment Case?
"19 Kids and Counting" alum Jana Duggar has quietly resolved a legal charge she faced in her home state of Arkansas, Fox News reported. Jana faced a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child, and details regarding the resolution of the case emerged on January 4. The charge came in September 2020 but flew under the radar until December 2021. News of Jana's legal issues arose just after her older brother Josh Duggar was convicted in his felony child pornography case. Although Josh's sentence has not been doled out yet, it appears Jana's misdemeanor situation has ended with far less chaos and turmoil.
The legal paperwork itself did not reveal specifics regarding the incident that prompted Jana's child endangerment charge. However, shortly after the news emerged, Jana took to her Instagram stories to share the details. She explained she had been "babysitting a few months ago when one of the children wandered outside alone," per People. Then, she recalled, "A passerby who saw the child called the police" and she received a written citation. There was a follow-up visit with child welfare, and apparently, they deemed the incident to simply be an accident. The child, who was not named, was unharmed, and child welfare "recognized it was a case of a child slipping out of the house when you turn your back for a moment," as Jana claimed. Jana noted she had not been arrested in the incident, which she called "scary."
Now, it looks like Jana's troubles are behind her — but it came at a price.
Jana Duggar reportedly paid a fine to settle her case
Jana Duggar was slated to appear in court in early January regarding the child endangerment misdemeanor charge, TMZ reported. However, that appearance is no longer necessary. Jana initially pleaded not guilty, but court documents reveal she entered a guilty plea on December 15. As a result, Jana was required to pay $800 in fees and fines, and $100 of that total was detailed as a "Child Victim Crime Fee."
As of this writing, Jana has not issued any statements regarding the resolution, nor has the "Counting On" star addressed it on her Instagram page. Recent Instagram posts of Jana's reference a "National Treat Yourself and Buy a New Plant Day," 2022 goals, and the New Year's Eve party held at the Duggar home. She's limited commenting on those posts, but she's still received support from her followers. "You've been through enough... you deserve some fun," one fan wrote on the party post. "Wishing you an abundance of blessings in the new year!!" someone else noted.
Jana previously made it clear she had hoped to keep this legal incident private and only spoke out about it "because the media has been having a field day with it all." She explained, "I was just upset at myself that it had happened at all, but so thankful it all ended safely and that's truly what mattered the most to me." Now, she can officially put it behind her and focus on moving forward.