Members of the Duggar family keep making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The latest “19 Kids and Counting” alum facing legal troubles is eldest daughter Jana Duggar, though the charges against her are much less serious than those facing her older brother, Josh, who was convicted on December 9 of receiving and possessing child pornography.
Prior to that shocking conviction, 30-year-old Jana, who is unmarried and has no children, was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor on September 9. No one has known the exact details, but she is now speaking about what she says happened.
“The raw facts: I was babysitting a few months ago when one of the children wandered outside alone. A passerby who saw [the] child called the police. This resulted in a written citation, as well as a follow-up with child welfare who concluded that it was an accident and the child was unharmed,” Jana wrote in a statement, according to Fox News.
“They recognized it was a case of a child slipping out of the house when you turn your back for a moment. It all happened so quickly and was scary. I am grateful for law enforcement and those who protect and serve our community. I was certainly never arrested like some may have implied. In the end I was just upset at myself that it had happened at all, but so thankful it all ended safely and that’s truly what mattered most to me.”
Jana’s sister, Jessa, came to her sibling’s defense on social media.
“Getting messages about headlines about Jana,” Jessa wrote in an Instagram story post shared on December 13. “Bottom line—it was an innocent mistake. She was babysitting and one of the kids slipped out the door unnoticed, but it ended safely. Could’ve happened to anyone.”
The 29-year-old reality star implored fans and followers to keep Jana’s charges in perspective, blaming the hype on the recent court case with Josh.
“The media is sensationalizing this because of other current family circumstances, and it makes me so mad,” Jessa continued. “[Jana]’s without question, one of the most amazing women I know, and I’d trust her with my kids any day of the week. Do me a favor—give the girl a break, and all you perfect humans go back to living your lives.”
Duggar family cousin Amy King, who’s been openly critical of the family in the past, added her thoughts on the situation as well. And she had nothing but love for her cousin Jana.
“I will call out what is right, and I will call out what is wrong. This couldn’t have been intentional,” King wrote on her Instagram stories December 13, “I bet you were exhausted, stressed and just emotionally worn out. Watching multiple kids is hard! Bc there’s so many of them and you only have two eyes!! It’s a very sad situation going on and my heart goes out to @janamduggar, love you.”
Jana has submitted a plea of “not guilty” on child endangerment charges. Per Arkansas law, the misdemeanor charges could result in some jail time or a fine if Jana is found guilty.