Josh Duggar Sends Message to Mother Michelle From Prison, Expressing Frustration Over Family Distance

Josh Duggar, currently serving his prison sentence, recently sent a text message to his mother Michelle Duggar that reveals his perspective on how his family has treated him since his legal troubles began.

The message, obtained by People magazine, shows Duggar expressing difficulty with his incarceration while his family members remain free. He references the cascading challenges that have defined his life since May 2015, when his history of sexual abuse allegations against five girls—including his sisters Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar—became public knowledge.

"[I]ts (sic) hard to be here while everyone is out going and doing. its (sic) especially hard in light of how things have been since may 2015 when everything was devastated for [wife] Anna and I," he wrote in the message.

Duggar described feeling sidelined by the family and the entertainment industry following the revelations. He claimed that he and his wife Anna were "cut off from public view on tv" and "kept at arm's length by most of the family," adding that "no one banded together to stand with us."

In the message, Duggar suggested that public relations concerns took precedence over family bonds. "the public statements and pr work to save shows and public images i feel were placed above family relationships," he wrote, and stated his belief that his mother was "worr[ied] more about pr than anything else."

Despite his grievances, Duggar acknowledged that his mother did provide some private support. However, he expressed feeling abandoned overall, saying it was "as if there were 18 kids and life went on."

Duggar concluded his message with a broader reflection, stating: "I am not trying to shift blame for anything , I am saying please consider your role and change so that other children are not in the same situations later."

Duggar was arrested in 2021 and subsequently convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography. His parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, have previously addressed his sexual abuse allegations publicly.