“The Letter No One Expected to Exist…” Joseph Duggar Receives Emotional Support Behind Bars—What It Revealed Stunned Everyone

Joseph Duggar received few emails while in custody at an Arkansas detention facility, but at least one family member wrote to offer him support

By
Chris Spargo

Chris Spargo
Chris Spargo is a senior reporter at PEOPLE who joined the crime team in 2025. Chris is an Emmy-winning journalist who previously worked at Inside Edition and Daily Mail.

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Published on April 6, 2026 06:38PM EDT

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Joseph Duggar’s mugshot.Credit : Washington County Sheriff’s Department

NEED TO KNOW

Joseph Duggar received an email while in custody at the Washington County Detention Center from his brother-in-law Austin Forsyth
Austin told Joseph that he was “praising God” that he and his wife Joy-Anna “started getting closer to [Joseph and Kendra] in the last year and a half”
Joy-Anna spoke out against her brother’s actions in a social media post on the same day Austin sent his email

Joseph Duggar has received the support of at least one family member following his arrest on two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior in connection with accusations he sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl in Florida.

In the weeks since he was arrested on March 18, the five eldest Duggar sisters — Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger and Joy-Anna — have released public statements in which they strongly condemn their brothers actions and offer their sympathy to the alleged victim and their family.

However, one family member offered their support to Joseph, 31, in an email the accused received while in custody at the Washington County Detention Facility in Arkansas.

This letter came from the husband of one of the sisters, Joy-Anna, who spoke out against Joseph after his arrest.

Joy Forsyth/Instagram

Her husband, Austin Forsyth, wrote, “I want you to know that I love you! Jesus loves you, and continues to draw you closer to Him,” in the letter obtained by PEOPLE.

“I don’t want to discuss your issues over these communications. You need to only be talking to your attorney,” Austin wrote to his brother-in-law, adding that Joseph should know “God works despite the sin of man for his good.”

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Austin, 32, then told Joseph that he was “praising God” that he and his wife Joy-Anna “started getting closer to [Joseph and Kendra] in the last year and a half.”

He added that God “knew that Kendra was going to need help,” and that he and Joy-Anna “will, and are helping her.”

Joseph responded to the email that following day, thanking Austin for his “support of Kendra.”

He noted that he was “sooo greatful [sic]” for all the people who were helping him out, and that “it means the world” to have family members like Austin by his side.

Joseph then signed off by writing “love y’all so much!”

Kendra and Joseph Duggar.TLC/YouTube

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Austin sent that email on March 25, the same day Joy-Anna, 28, posted her statement about Joseph’s arrest to Instagram.

“My heart is with the victim, and I am grieved by the pain and harm caused. I have been a wreck this week and am taking time to process,” she said. “I have a few pre-filmed commitments that I have to post, but I will be taking some much-needed time with my family. Thank you for your prayers.”

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Joseph is now back home with Kendra, 27, in Arkansas after posting a $600,000 bond following a March 31 court hearing in Florida. He is due back in May for his arraignment.

He is expected to be formally charged with lewd and lascivious behavior committed by an individual over the age of 18 and lewd and lascivious behavior molestation of a minor under the age of 12.

He was taken into custody after being accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl during a family vacation to Panama City Beach in 2020.