Two Duggar daughters say they forgive brother
Two female stars of TLC’s reality show “19 Kids and Counting” told Fox News they have forgiven their brother Josh Duggar for molesting them, saying he was “a little too curious about girls.”
Jill Dillard, 24, and Jessa Seewald, 22, said they weren’t initially aware of the inappropriate advances from their then-teenage brother around twelve years ago. They said they found out about the molestation, which took place while they were asleep, only when he told their parents.
Dillard and Seewald, both now married, said they were angry at their brother initially but “were sad” when he was sent away to attend a Christianbased treatment course for his actions.
“It wasn’t like we were keeping a secret, afraid or something. We didn’t know until Josh explained to my parents what his thought process was,” Dillard told “The Kelly File” host Megyn Kelly.
Last month, TLC pulled all episodes of “19 Kids,” its top-rated show, after reports surfaced that Josh Duggar, now 27, had molested underage girls. He has never been arrested or charged.
Dillard and Seewald said their parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, had implemented “safeguards” in the family home after the incidents that included locks on bedroom doors.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar came under fire this week for downplaying their son’s abuse of four of his sisters, including a girl who was younger than 10 at the time, in a Fox News interview. Michelle Duggar said they were victims of a tabloid leak that dredged up long-forgiven offenses committed by their son.
Josh Duggar released a statement last month apologizing for acting “inexcusably” 12 years ago. He also resigned from his job at the Christian lobbying group Family Research Council.
Also: Beloved Muppet Miss Piggy has been recognized for her contributions to society with a feminist award at New York’s Brooklyn Museum.
The glamorous, outspoken pig receive the honor from the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art. The award ceremony included a conversation with veteran women’s rights campaigner Gloria Steinem and a 20-minute video retrospective of Miss Piggy’s career.
“She has spirit. She has determination. She has grit,” historian and activist Sackler told USA Today. “She has inspired children to be who you are — and this squares very directly with feminism.”
A San Diego judge ordered a mental competency hearing for Peter Robbins, who as a child provided the voice of cartoon character Charlie Brown, after a series of strange and obscene outbursts during a hearing.
Robbins, 58, was taken into custody for probation violations in February after police were called repeatedly to the mobile home park where he has been living and found he had cut off his electronic monitor and was using drugs and alcohol, authorities said.
On Friday, at a hearing to determine whether he would go back to jail for probation violations, Robbins shouted at Judge Robert O’Neill and repeatedly swore at the judge, Deputy District Attorney Brenda Daly and his own attorney.