Jim Bob and Michelle explaining that girls were unaware of what had happened - he had touched them while they were sleeping. It was two daughters initially. They punished Josh and kept a very close eye on him.
Then there were incidents of him touching sleeping girls on the couch. Both over their clothes and under our clothes. They asked other families for advice. Josh came to his parents multiple times to confess doing this again.
After multiple confessions - they send Josh away to Christian center in Little Rock - to get him out of the home at age 15. Jim Bob says that as parents they are not mandatory reporters and did not think the legal system would help him.
Jim Bob and Michelle feel the Christian center in Little Rock basically cured Josh.
They spoke with the girls and encouraged them to speak openly to them. Sounds like they feel they counseled the girls - who in their view were generally not aware of what Josh had done or that he had done anything wrong. He did touch some girls while awake - a fleeting touch of their breast, as an example - which the girl might have construed as accidental.
They have referred to protecting the girls numerous times - but giving no specifics. Hard to see how they protected them given the number of times it happened.
They feel they are good parents - and tried to protect all of their children - including Josh.
“Ray of hope” was that Josh came and told them - otherwise they would not have known.
Minimizing what happened to the girls. Worse things have happened in other families. Girls were generally unaware.
Went to Arkansas police when Josh returned from Little Rock. They were not sure if this would lead to arrest or investigation.
Jim Bob denies they selected a family friend police officer to speak to - claims they just walked in and spoke with first available officer. They brought a witness with them. They waited weeks to see if anything more was going to happen - and nothing did.
Now they are saying that all rcvd professional counseling.
Josh was a changed person. Allowed back in home. They still kept safeguards in place. Boys do not babysit. Girls do not sit on older brothers’ laps.
I’m afraid I’m getting a little confused. How did Josh get discovered if the girls were sleeping? Did one of the parents see him, or were they saying Josh came to them and his confession was how they found out?
Now they are talking about leak to Oprah show in 2006. Police investigation begins. Statue of limitations. No charges.
Reality show begins in 2008. Jim Bob says they had nothing to hide. It was “all taken care of” - " sealed record" - it had been forgiven.
Jim Bob says G-d has forgiven Josh and maybe this will inspire others to seek forgiveness. Speculating why police chief released records - lawsuit under discussion - they want to fight to protect the release of sealed juvenile records.
Everyone has dark things in their families. Not responding to question re hypocrisy.
Michelle defends anti-transgender stance. She wants to protect young girls from men in bathrooms.
Josh is not a pedophile - he was a minor when this happened.
Last night I watched a 20 minute preview of the interview and Ms. Kelly showed outrage that the report was released.
It was not a juvenile record; he was not arrested. The summary of the interviews was heavily redacted. The police chief asked the city attorney for an opinion before she released the report. I’d say she is in the clear.
@rockvillemom …“Jim Bob says that as parents they are not mandatory reporters…”
But Michelle is their homeschool teacher. I’m watching it too. Predictable tears from baby voiced Michelle.
How are they going to explain the hypocrisy? Michelle’s robo call to Little Rock citizens last spring where she said that transsexuals are pedophiles? Why would she ring that bell knowing her son is one? Oh, she just said she doesn’t view him as a pedo. Pedos are over 16. Got it.
I’m not a huge fan of Dr. Drew but he is easy to listen to. I find him exploitative (Teen Mom, Celebrity Rehab) but he explains things well. I’m pretty sure he and I share the experience that most child preditors begin preying on children at precisely the same age Josh did. There’s a recount of 7 incidents in 16 months. He was not experimenting. There is a huge concern that his oldest daughter, now 5, is at the age he found irresistible.
Remember Mike Huckabee came out in support of Duggary on his Facebook page? When I saw it last week a majority of comments said to the effect, “I am Christian but I won’t support anyone who protects child molesters.” Last night I went back to find out how the backfire is going and it appears the whole statement has been removed. Back pedal much?
I’m watching it and I can’t believe they are actually trying to blame other people and how “they” have an agenda against them… ugh. Also about how they may sue…
Jim Bob and Michelle see themselves as victims. They have been wronged by tabloid media and this police chief.
Not accepting any blame or admitting they did anything wrong.
They are fine with or without the show. Trying “to regroup from these attacks” - Jim Bob.
Release of juvenile records is not getting enough attention. Their trust has been betrayed by the police. Heartbroken for the girls who have been “more victimized by recent events than what happened 12 years ago” - Michelle.
Jill is now crying about release of police records - this was a quick tease for part 2 on Friday night with Jessa and Jill.
So - that was an hour of my life to learn that Jim Bob and Michelle are good parents, Josh has been forgiven by all and was cured many years ago and the Duggar family will now crusade to protect the integrity of sealed juvenile records.
The two daughters on now are the married ones. One (Jessa?) is married to a guy named Ben. He was on social media last week insisting his wife was not molested.
Apparently the two sisters will be featured on Friday night. The preview shows them weeping about the past being dredged up.
It’s over and I feel the need to go take a shower.
If anyone here truly wants to hear the Duggar’s side of things, you should watch the interview. I am sure it will be online. I was able to watch the last half of tonight’s and was impressed with what the Duggars said. The Friday interview is with two of the sisters who have been affected by this. What they are hurt by is the fact that these sealed records of juveniles (Josh and the 5 girls involved) have become public and now all this crap is going on.
This is a family who has been earnestly living their lives the way they see it should be led. The parents in tonight’s interview admitted that they made errors early on with their oldest boy in having him “babysit” and be alone with his younger sisters. They did get professional counseling for him and for the girls. They did all they were legally bound to do in this situation. I do not blame them for not turning their 14 year old son over to Child Services…I would not have done that either.
I get that many of you don’t agree with how they live their lives. Do yourself a favor and don’t just get all your information from a tabloid and from assumptions garnered from improperly released records—or merely read someone else’s “summary” of the interview. Watch it for yourself. Until you listen to their explanation of what went on and why and at least give them equal time with all the speculation and accusations, you really are not a credible critic. In my never-to-be humble opinion, of course.
@rockvillemom good recap. I watched too. I have never watched their show and are annoyed by their commercials. My D loves watching them. I disagree with most all they say and I’m Christian and progressively conservative. A lot of what has been alleged in the press, repeated on this thread, they denied. So I don’t know what to believe. The safety of the girls seems most important to me. Hard to say whether they were really protected. Knowing how their general approach to the girls is so dismissive I’m just not that sure.
I think both of these statements are less than wholly accurate.
At least 2 of the sisters and probably one other person were NOT sleeping. Read the police reports. In one case, Josh was holding his little sister--probably the 5 year old--on his lap and reading her a story. She was wearing a dress with underpants under it. According to the police report, there was a hole in the underpants and Josh put his finger through the hole and began stroking her. She dropped the book and started yelling to her parents about what Josh did. (I actually give the Duggars credit for this. It means the child had been told this was wrong and felt she could tell her parents.) In another instance, a different daughter was in the laundry room. Josh came in and put his hand under her dress. Josh may have told his parents he only touched his sisters when they were sleeping, but that's NOT what the sisters said to the police.
Jim Bob Duggar had a personal friend who was a policeman talk to Josh. According to the police report, Jim Bob knew this particular cop because Jim Bob used to be a used car dealer and this cop participated in used car inspections for the police. (That explanation was given by Jim Bob himself.) Jim Bob asked the cop to give Josh a "stern talking to" and he supposedly did. The cop, who is now in prison himself for convictions involving child pornography, says that Jim Bob said it had only happened once. Personally, I think characterizing this as "going to the authorities" is, to be blunt, lying through your teeth. Indeed, the cynical part of me even thinks that perhaps this was intended to CYA, so the Duggars could later claim they had reported Josh's conduct to the "police."
Wow, I am only 10 minutes into the interview and I cannot believe how they are trying to justify “only a couple times” “only a couple of the girls” “only touching outside of clothes” “only touching for a couple seconds”(and then later saying “only a couple times under clothes”!! I am stunned.
Also saying that the girls had no idea what happened. So…did the girls learn this happened before the last couple of weeks if this was true? How are they doing now? Sounds like they should need counseling NOW!!!
Wow and the description of “the girls didn’t probably even know what was inappropriate touch” (when they were awake). (So now they are saying a couple DID know that he did it - how confusing!)
Omg, if I hear “share your heart” “shared his heart” one more time…
@jonri they did not claim it was only in their sleep. In the interview they said it had occurred while girls were awake too. They claim they took a witness to state police station and spoke with officer assigned. Didn’t go to specifically speak with a friend. There are differing accounts.
My dog pees on the carpet.
My dog tells me she pees on the carpet by coming around and looking guilty.
I tell the dog not to pee on the carpet.
My dog pees on the carpet again.
I swat the dog with a newspaper.
My dog pees on the carpet again.
I send the dog to obedience training.
My dog still pees on the carpet.
I am a good dog owner because I did the right thing.
My carpet still stinks.
My dog pees on the carpet.
My dog poops on the carpet.
I talk to the dog and the dog seeks forgiveness.
My dog pees on the carpet.
I am the Duggars.
My dog pees on the carpet.
Again.
@rom828, Thanks. Just to clarify, I didn’t watch tonight. I just based my comment on the police reports.
Are you seriously contending that a 17 year old–yes, Josh was 15–who strokes a 5 year old child’s “privates” as the Duggars call them is not a pedophile!!!
You are ASSUMING the records were improperly released. I have seen no evidence whatsoever of this. A FOIA request was made. The police chief complied. There is nothing improper about that. They were NOT sealed.