Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar said the allegations against their son 'are very serious.'
The Duggar family is speaking out after Josh Duggar's arrest.
The 33-year-old former reality star was arrested in Washington County, Arkansas, on Thursday. He then pleaded not guilty to receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children during a court hearing on Friday. Shortly after, his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, issued a statement expressing the severity of the accusations.
“We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious," the couple expressed in a statement on their website. "It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family."
Jessa and Ben Seewald posted a statement on their Instagram Stories on Saturday.
"We are saddened to hear of the charges against Josh. As Christians, we stand against any form of pornography or abuse and we desire for the truth to be exposed, whatever that may be," the couple expressed. "Our prayers are with their family as they walk through this difficult time."
Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo also released a statement on on Friday on social media, expressing how "disturbed" they are with the news of her brother.
"We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh. While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice."
A day before, Josh's sister, Jill, and her husband, Derek Dillard, exclusively told ET, "This is just very sad for our family."
On Friday, Josh -- who recently announced that he's expecting his seventh child with wife Anna -- and his attorney appeared via Zoom for a hearing. During the hearing, his attorney told the court that he and his client are waiving the right to have the charges read out loud in court. Following the hearing, though, court docs obtained by ET revealed his charges.
According to the docs, in May 2019, Josh allegedly used the internet to download the material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under 12. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 on each count. Josh will remain in custody until May 5, when a detention hearing to seek bond will be held.
Josh was previously investigated by Springdale, Arkansas, police regarding allegations that he inappropriately touched five girls who were minors when he was 14. According to multiple reports, no charges were filed against him because the statute of limitations, which was three years at the time, had expired by the time of the 2006 investigation.
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