Jill And Derick Dillard's Statement On Josh Duggar's Sentence Appears To Side-Eye Jim Bob And Michelle
The following article contains allegations of sexual abuse.
For years, Jill Duggar Dillard and her husband Derick Dillard have distanced themselves from her family, especially her parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. But during Josh Duggar's child porn trial in December, the couple seemed to move further away from the Duggars. Derick tweeted during jury deliberations, "Praying for justice this morning." After Josh's verdict, Jill and Derick made a statement that further broke with the Duggars, writing on their family website, "We have been lied to so much that we wanted to hear the evidence for ourselves in court. After seeing all the evidence as it was presented, we believe that the jury reached a just verdict today."
Jill and Derick didn't name anyone in the verdict statement, but they didn't have to. Multiple media outlets reported that Jim Bob and Michelle failed to report Josh's abuse as a teen to authorities and allowed Josh to sexually abuse his sisters. Even worse, Derick confirmed to blogger Katie Joy in February that Jill and Jessa Duggar were coached on what to say in their 2015 Megyn Kelly interview about Josh. Derick told Joy that Jill was "heavily coached to stay within a certain narrative."
Even though fans suspected a rift between the Dillards and the Duggar family, many were shocked when Jill disclosed she had not been to her parents' house in years. But Jill and Derick's statement on Josh's sentence appears to side-eye Jim Bob and Michelle.
Jill and Derick Dillard's statement has a message for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
Jill Duggar Dillard and her husband, Derick Dillard, reacted to her brother's prison sentence in a statement on May 26. The couple wrote about Josh Duggar's 151-month sentence for receiving and possessing child porn on the Dillard Family website. The pregnant "Counting On" star and her husband wrote, "Some believe Josh should have received a greater sentence," and called Josh's actions "unspeakable criminal activity." But Jill and Derick's statement continued with a subtle message for Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar about their son. "Until now, he has yet to be held accountable to the extent necessary to cause change in his dangerous pattern of behavior," the couple wrote.
The statement continued, "It is unfortunate, but it seems that it may take spending over a decade in federal prison, and still more on probation, for Josh to have any potential for rehabilitation to the point he can safely live in society again." The words from 31-year-old Jill and her husband were crystal clear: If Mama and Daddy Duggar had taken real steps to get Josh help, maybe he wouldn't be spending time in jail.
Jill and Derick are the first Duggar siblings to react to Josh's sentencing. However, cousin Amy Duggar King didn't hold back, telling Celebuzz on May 25, "Twelve and a half years isn't enough, but I hope that every single second he's there feels like an eternity." Stay tuned to this space. We'll be covering other Duggar family statements about Josh.
If you, or anyone you know, have been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).