The Duggar family has been deeply divided over many issues over the years. The most significant is the divide over Josh Duggar. Following his trial and conviction for receipt of and possession of child sexual assault materials, some family members continue to support Josh. A few are prayerful that he is either innocent or can be rehabilitated. Others in the family have broken away, showing contempt for the child abuser. Among family members who cannot justify supporting Josh is cousin Amy Duggar, who recently shared thoughts about her cousin’s conviction.
Amy Believes Josh Deserves What’s Happening to Him
Josh Duggar is in the midst of what will be a nearly 13-year sentence. The former 19 Kids and Counting star was sentenced in May 2022. Amy Duggar held no punches as she told PEOPLE she hoped that time would be “torture.”
I hope every day there is absolute torture for him. I really hope that because what he watched and what he was viewing for his own fulfillment is those kids experiencing torture. He deserves every second in there, and I hope he gets a longer term. I hope he messes up again.
Amy Duggar, PEOPLE
The Duggar Cousin Does Sympathize With One Party Involved
Amy Duggar is firm in the fact that she never wants to speak to her cousin Josh again. She believes his actions are irredeemable.
I have not spoken to him, and I will not. I will not. When you just cross those evil lines like that, there is no coming back. I just think there’s no coming back.
Amy Duggar, PEOPLE
That said, she does feel for Josh’s wife, Anna Duggar, and their seven children. Josh and Anna share Mackynzie (14), Michael (12), Marcus (10), Meredith (8), Mason (6), Maryella (4), and Madyson (3).
Amy revealed she ran into Anna at a family friend’s funeral service for the first time since the sentencing. The estranged family members only exchanged a few words in the chance encounter.
I understand, I can’t speak for Anna and I’m not going to try, but I can’t imagine what she has to deal with internally, let alone out for the world to see. It’s heartbreaking in every direction and I just respected the fact that she needed space and I didn’t try to push any further.
I wanted to say a whole lot. I wanted to say tons of things, but in that moment it wasn’t obviously the right location. It was a ceremony, a viewing actually, at a funeral, and yeah. It wasn’t the right timing and I didn’t want to make ascene and I didn’t want to do that or draw attention to anything and clearly respect her so I didn’t. But if you ask me, I think she is mad. I do. I think she’s just really, really mad.
Amy Duggar, PEOPLE
Much of the Duggar family has laid low, focused on their own growing families rather than presenting as a unit. There’s a palpable shift in the family for reasons both related to and outside of Josh’s crimes. It’s a marked difference from the close-knit family that once played out their lives on TV.
