Courtesy of Duggar Family/Instagram; Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Want Anna to ‘Stay With Them’ Until Josh Is Out of Prison
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar want their daughter-in-law Anna Duggar to “stay with them” until Josh Duggar is out of prison, a source exclusively tells In Touch.
Josh Duggar was sentenced to 151 months — roughly 12.5 years — behind bars following his child pornography trial at his Wednesday, May 25, hearing. The disgraced reality star was found guilty of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse pornography in December 2021, following his arrest in April.
“Anna wasn’t shocked. She is relieved that it’s over though. Now comes the hard decision, whether to stay and wait for Josh to come out or start her life over without him,” the insider tells In Touch. “Some of her kids will be grown with possibly children of their own by the time their dad gets out.”
While her in-laws want Anna to stay with them, the source adds, “It will be interesting to see what she decides to do.”
“Everyone feels sympathy for Anna, she’s been living in a bad dream, and she needs a wake-up call,” the insider continued. “I’ll tell you one thing though; Josh’s nightmare is about to get worse.”
Anna had “no reaction” after her husband was sentenced, according to a court reporter from The Sun, and Josh’s father also reportedly did not “visibly react” to the sentencing.
Following Josh’s sentencing, his attorney Travis Story released a statement to In Touch regarding the future of the case. “We’re grateful the judge dismissed Count 2 and rejected the Government’s request for a 240-month sentence. We look forward to continuing the fight on appeal.”
Once Josh is released from prison, he faces 20 years of probation and will be prohibited from seeing his children unsupervised, The Sun reported. Anna shares kids Mackynzie, Michael, Marcus, Meredith, Mason, Maryella and Madyson with the former 19 Kids and Counting star. They welcomed their youngest daughter in October 2021.
Despite the unsettling crimes her husband was found guilty of, the mother of seven has stayed by his side. In Touch previously reported that the Florida native “has thought about” legal separation but never considered divorce.
One Duggar family member has shared their support for Anna’s separation from her husband. Amy King (née Duggar) previously told In Touch that she would take Josh’s wife and her seven kids in if it meant freeing her from Josh.
“You don’t have to be trapped in lies. You don’t have to be trapped. You’re not trapped,” the mother of one said in May 2022. “That’s just fear. That’s just literally fear of like what to do next, you know? And heck, I hope she’s OK.”
Despite reaching out to Anna in the past, Amy revealed, “There’s no response.”
Josh’s sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for April 5, 2022, but the new date was pushed after Josh and his attorney filed a motion to delay the hearing. According to documents obtained by In Touch in March, his team asked that the hearing be delayed by “approximately 30 days” in order to have more time to “pursue additional information and documentation.”
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