Celebrity

Josh Duggar's biggest scandal is his conviction on two child pornography charges. Before that, he was accused of molesting four of his sisters and a family friend.

Published on May 15, 2022

Josh Duggar will be sentenced on two child pornography charges in less than two weeks. Before he was convicted of downloading child pornography, the father of seven was accused of molesting five girls. The incidents happened in the early 2000s. In court documents pertaining to a lawsuit filed by the Duggar sisters against the city of Springdale, Josh’s ex-girlfriend, Kaelegh Holt, summarized exactly how word about Josh’s behavior spread through their social circle. During her testimony, Kaeleigh revealed that the Duggar family appeared to blame her for what happened.

Kaeleigh Holt says an angry Duggar family member approached her after learning Josh Duggar molested his siblings and family friend

In her bombshell testimony, Kaeleigh Holt revealed that several members of her social circle and the Duggar family appeared to directly blame her for word about Josh Duggar molesting his sisters getting out. According to Kaeleigh, only one person ever approached her directly. That person, Rachel Hutchins, did not have direct ties to the Duggar family church. She did have a direct connection to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, though.

According to Kaeleigh, Rachel approached her aggressively and appeared angry. In her testimony, Kaeleigh said Rachel wanted to know how Kaeleigh had “messed up” so bad that Josh Duggar no longer “wanted” her. While Rachel did not attend church with the Duggars and the Holts, Kaeleigh knew her.

Kaeleigh went on to say that before Rachel Hutchins approached her, she was unaware that the Duggars were telling extended family. Members of their church were already aware. Kaeleigh surmised that members of her family’s larger social circle were talking, and several blamed her for the problem. She claimed members of the family’s social circle believed she had wronged Josh Duggar because she gossiped. The sex abuse scandal eventually led to a division of the family’s home church.

Kaeleigh Holt and Josh Duggar were ‘betrothed’ when they were young teens

Kaeleigh Holt is a key player in the scandal because she dated Josh Duggar when the molestation occurred. Kaeleigh’s mother, Bobye Holt, testified during Josh Duggar’s child pornography trial that her daughter and Josh were seriously dating in 2003 and 2004 when the molestation occurred. She went on to say that the Holt family had hoped Josh and Kaeleigh would wed.

According to Bobye’s testimony, Kaeleigh and Josh called things off when the Holt family learned that Josh had molested his sisters and a family friend. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar approached the Holts with the information. Even then, they held out hope that the pair would resume their romance. The sexual abuse inside the Duggar home became common knowledge after a note Kaeleigh had authored detailing the events was discovered by a friend. Kaeleigh had slipped the note inside a book. The letter eventually led to the filing of the police report, which In Touch obtained years later.

Who is Rachel Hutchins?

Rachel Hutchins, the woman who approached Kaeleigh Holt, is the niece of Michelle Duggar. While Rachel never appeared on the family’s reality TV series, her son has. Jim Bob and Michelle became guardians of Rachel’s son, Tyler, in 2016.

According to the U.S. Sun, Michelle and Jim Bob were granted temporary custody of Tyler Wayne Hutchins in 2016 after Michelle’s sister, Tyler’s grandmother, fell ill and was no longer able to care for the boy. Michelle’s sister gained temporary custody of Tyler in 2015. Tyler still lives with the Duggars. The family was granted permanent guardianship months later.

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