Kendra Duggar’s Father Says Family Lost Housing and Jobs After Son-in-Law’s Arrest
Kendra Duggar’s Father Says Family Lost Housing and Jobs After Son-in-Law’s Arrest
The father of Kendra Duggar is speaking out about the difficult circumstances his family now faces following the arrest of his son-in-law, Joseph Duggar.
Paul Caldwell, along with his wife, Christina Caldwell, provided an update on a GoFundMe campaign launched on April 4 to raise money for housing and counseling. As of late April, the fundraiser has brought in more than $34,000.
In an update shared on April 29, Caldwell expressed gratitude for supporters and also addressed criticism.
“Just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to all those who have sacrificed to help and encourage,” he wrote. “There have been a few unkind comments, but I believe those are mostly due to a misunderstanding of the situation.”
Caldwell emphasized that none of the funds raised would go toward assisting Joseph Duggar, who was arrested in March and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving a minor.
“To be clear, none of the funds from this fundraiser are going to help anyone who would harm children in any way,” he stated.
He went on to explain that the family’s stance on the situation has had serious personal consequences.
“We are willing to stand for the protection of the weak and vulnerable in society. Because of that stand, we have been put in a situation that has caused the loss of our current housing and employment,” Caldwell wrote. “Having to relocate on such short notice has left us in a bit of a financial struggle.”
He added that the family is also seeking counseling as they navigate the aftermath.
“We also need to have some time to get some much-needed counseling,” he said.
The Caldwells first publicly addressed the allegations against Joseph Duggar in a statement shared on Instagram on April 15.
“Our family is both troubled and heartbroken over the alleged actions committed by our son-in-law,” the statement read in part. “We are devastated for the young girl, a child who was courageous in every way to share her truth. We stand by her, both in support and prayer, and forever will.”
They also expressed concern for their grandchildren and reaffirmed their support for their daughter.
“We also recognize how traumatic this incident has been for our grandchildren as well and continue to pray for their strength. Our love for them, and our daughter Kendra, remains.”
Public records show that Joseph and Kendra Duggar sold a property to Paul and Christina Caldwell for $10,000 in July 2021.
In a jail call dated March 25, Kendra indicated that her parents and younger siblings were expected to move out within a month, though no specific reason was given at the time.
“They’re moving out in a month and everybody is going to hold them to it,” she said in the call.
Joseph Duggar is currently facing multiple legal cases. In addition to the Florida charge of lewd and lascivious behavior involving a minor, he and Kendra Duggar are also charged with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment.
Both have entered not guilty pleas and are scheduled to appear in court again in August.
Joseph Duggar is currently on pretrial release in the Florida case after posting bail. As part of the conditions of his release, he is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with minors, including his own children.
The charges stem from allegations made by a 14-year-old girl, who told authorities that Duggar assaulted her during a family vacation when she was 9 years old.
