Amy Duggar King is addressing the recent arrest of her cousin, Joseph Duggar, and is speaking candidly about what she describes as a deeply ingrained 'toxic system' within the Duggar family. She asserts this system “breeds secrecy.”

Joseph Duggar's Arrest and Charges

On March 18, Joseph Duggar, 31, was arrested in Tontitown, Arkansas. He faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior toward a child under 12, according to an arrest affidavit from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. His wife, Kendra Duggar, 27, has also been charged in Arkansas with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment.

King Describes a Pattern of Secrecy

“I think there’s just a lot of victims in this whole situation because this whole, entire toxic cycle of this pattern, this system breeds this,” King, 39, told Fox News Digital. “It breeds secrecy. It breeds broken hearts. It breeds being untrue to your wife or to your husband, and things get swept under the rug.” She added, “I just don’t think people are putting up with that anymore, and the rug is being completely lifted.”

Family History and Allegations

The charges against Joseph Duggar come nearly five years after his older brother, Josh Duggar, was convicted of downloading child sexual abuse images. The family gained notoriety through the TLC show '19 Kids and Counting,' which was canceled following allegations that Josh, 38, had abused four sisters and a babysitter.

Insights from 'Holy Disruptor'

In her upcoming 2025 memoir, Holy Disruptor, Duggar King alleges that her late grandfather, Jimmy Lee Duggar, was physically abusive and a “predator.” She also details confronting Josh following the initial abuse allegations. King stated, “I called this in my book, and that’s not a celebration for me. I don’t want to be right about these kinds of situations.”

Calls for Accountability and Change

Duggar King emphasized the need for genuine change within the family. “Although they said how broken they are, how hurt they are, their feelings are valid, and I sympathize with them. It’s hard to believe it in a way because I just want there to be actual change within this family unit.”

Breaking Toxic Cycles

She believes a key element of change is honesty. “I think one thing that needs to change within the family unit—this is just my opinion—is telling the truth. That shouldn’t be so hard to do. And the truth has always been really hidden in my family.” King admitted she is still “processing the news” and was shocked by Joseph’s arrest, stating, “Out of all my cousins, Joe was the last person that I thought this would happen to.”

The Tontitown Police Department has confirmed the investigation remains ongoing. Joseph Duggar has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court on April 20.