‘19 Kids’ molest shocker

TLC star confesses

Josh Duggar, the eldest son of the Duggar family on the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” admitted Thursday to molesting several girls while he was a teenager.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” said Duggar (inset), a 27yearold married father of three children all prominently featured on the hit show.

“I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” he said in a statement to People magazine.

“I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling.”

Duggar was accused of molesting the girls while he was a minor in Springdale, Ark. The allegations, beginning in 2002, included forcible touching.

Jim Bob Duggar, the patriarch of the Arkansas family at the center of the show, waited a year before bring ing Josh to cops, but the case went nowhere after the officer in charge of the case was himself busted for child pornography, reports say.

It was reopened in 2006 after producers of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” were tipped off to the allegations just before the family was to go on. The show went to authorities, who could not pursue charges because of the statue of limitations.

Five girls were allegedly groped and fondled by Duggar, including some of his sisters, according to reports.

Also Thursday, Duggar resigned from his position at the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian lobbying organization based in Washington, DC.

His parents, who reportedly tried to bury the scandal years ago, said they were standing by their son, according to People.

“Back 12 years ago, our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives,” Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar said in a statement to People.

Duggar’s 26yearold wife, Anna, also said she is sticking by her husband of seven years despite his “past teenage mistakes” that he revealed to her.