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A 12-year sentence and 23 grandchildren: What the Duggar kids are doing now. 

In 2006, the world was introduced to a family of devout Christians living in Tontitown, Arkansas.

Back then, Jim Bob and Michelle and the 16-child Duggar family was enough to turn a one-hour TV special into a reality series about the family, then titled 16 Kids and Counting.

We were fascinated as these Baptists managed to handle raising and caring for more than a dozen children before adding to their brood, resulting in the show being renamed three times.

It’s been seven years since TLC officially cancelled the once popular 19 Kids and Counting and a year since Counting On was also axed. Here's what the Duggars are doing now.

Jim Bob and Michelle


My love and I! We really enjoyed this trip down to Texas!

A post shared by  The Duggar Family (@duggarfam) on

The couple that started it all have stopped having natural-born children, but that doesn’t mean their brood has stopped growing. 

In addition to the 23 (and counting) grandchildren they now have, the couple became permanent guardians to their grandnephew, 14-year-old Tyler, after his mother was unable to care for him.

Jim Bob and Michelle are still caring for seven other kids at home ranging from 20 to 12 and regularly posting photos and Bible verses on their Duggar Family Facebook page and updating the family website.

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Josh

The eldest Duggar boy's reputation has taken a hit in recent years. In 2015, allegations surfaced that he molested at least five girls as a 14- and 15-year-old – including his own sisters.

Speaking to his parents, Josh had reportedly confessed to inappropriately touching his sisters and friends while they were sleeping.

 




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A post shared by Anna Duggar (@annaduggar) on

Later in 2015, Josh, who had been married to his wife Anna since 2008, was exposed in the Ashley Madison hacking scandal as having cheated on his wife. 

However, the pair remained married and have six children: Mackynzie, 12, Michael, 10, Marcus, eight, Meredith, six, Mason, four, and Maryella, who turns three in November.

On April 23, 2021, Anna announced that the couple were expecting their seventh child, a daughter.

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Five days later, on April 30, Josh was arrested for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.

According to a news release from federal prosecutors, obtained by People, Josh "allegedly used the internet to download child sexual abuse material. [He] allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, in May 2019."

His parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, made a statement soon after Josh's arrest.

"We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious," their joint statement read.

"It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family."

On December 9, 2021, Duggar was found guilty, just three weeks after the birth of his sixth child.

In May 2022, the 34-year-old was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison and ordered to pay fines and special assessments of $50,100 USD.

After his release from prison, Duggar will require the supervision of a parole office for 20 years and is prohibited from any unsupervised contact with minors, including his own children with wife Anna. 

Duggar must also participate in sex offender treatment and may not access or view pornography of any kind, including adult pornography. 

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He also cannot own any electronic devices with internet access unless approved by his probation officer.

Duggar's father, Jim Bob, his wife, Anna, and his siblings, Joy-Anna and Jason Duggar, were present in court to support him.

Jana Marie

Jana was dubbed Cinderella Duggar for her house-cleaning and child-caring role in the family, as she was the eldest and unwed at 29. 

In 2018, it was rumoured photographer Caleb Williams was courting Jana, but there was no "courtship announcement". 

Despite this, he did share a photo on social media in October 2017 holding Josh and Anna’s son Mason – so he has certainly met the family. 

However, in 2019, sister Jessa confirmed she wasn’t in a relationship, responding to a comment which surmised Jana’s foray into social media hinted at a possible courtship announcement.

"That’s been merely coincidence for some," wrote Jessa. "Definitely not a prerequisite. She’s not in a relationship."

"But if anyone is interested, please send all applications to me," she continued.

"I will check them out thoroughly."

As for her career, Jana Marie remodels houses.

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John David

In 2018, Jana Marie’s twin, John David, announced that he was officially "courting" 30-year-old nurse Abbie Burnett.


A post shared by TLC (@tlc) on

"We are so excited to announce the courtship of John David and Abbie!" Michelle and Jim Bob wrote in a statement via the family’s website.

"We fell in love very quickly," John David told TLC. "It’s been a wonderful journey thus far, and [we’re] taking the next step to move on to a courtship."

A few months later, the couple announced their marriage on November 3, 2018.

"We are so excited to be married! It was a beautiful moment and we so appreciate our friends and family for sharing this day with us. Most of all we are thankful to Christ for bringing us together. This is going to be an amazing journey!" they wrote on the Duggar family website.

Six months after the couple married, they announced they were expecting their first child together.

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Their daughter, Grace Annette, is now almost three years old.

In May 2022, Abbie announced she was pregnant with their second child, a boy.

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Jill Michelle


#littlehappyfamilyof4 #soblessed #boymom????

A post shared by  Jill Dillard (@jillmdillard) on

Fans of the show might remember that Jill met her now-husband Derick Dillard shortly before he went to Nepal to serve as a missionary. 

After speaking over Skype, visiting him – with her father – and starting a formal "courtship" when he returned in November 2013, the pair announced their engagement in April 2014 and were married in June.

Jill, now 31, has since given birth to the couple’s two sons, Israel, seven, and four-year-old Samuel.

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Jessa Lauren

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After meeting her now-husband, Ben Seewald, through church, 29-year-old Jessa married in November 2014. A year later, they welcomed son Spurgeon, now six, followed by five-year-old Henry in February 2017, and three-month-old Ivy in May 2019.

On February 18, 2021, the couple announced they were expecting their fourth child, after experiencing a miscarriage in 2020.

In July 2021, the family welcomed baby Fern.

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Jinger Nicole

Jinger married former professional soccer player Jeremy Vuolo in November 2016. They began courting when she was 22 and he was 28.

Jinger gave birth to their first child Felicity Nicole Vuolo on July 19, 2018.

On May 28, 2020, the couple announced they were expecting their second daughter after a miscarriage in 2019.

On November 22, 2020, Jinger gave birth to their second daughter, Evangeline.

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Joseph Garrett

Joe, now 27, married Kendra Caldwell, 23, in September 2017 and just 39 weeks later, Kendra gave birth to baby Garrett. In November 2018, their second child, Addison was born.

In February 2021, the couple welcomed their third child, Brooklyn. 

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Josiah Matthew

With one "failed courtship" on his record, Josiah pleased his parents when the 26-year-old entered an official courtship with Lauren Swanson, 23.

"It was really exciting to hear Lauren say, 'Yes, I will start a courtship with you.' It was really good to hear that, and she was genuinely surprised," Josiah told TLC.

On June 30, 2018, the couple got married.

Just over a year later, the couple welcomed their first child, Bella Milagro Duggar.

Joy-Anna

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Joy-Anna, 24, married Austin Forsyth in May 2017, and gave birth to the couple’s first child, Gideon Forsyth, on February 23, 2018.

Curiously, Joy-Anna has been the biggest detractor of her parents' faith, with a leaked video from her wedding rehearsal dinner revealing she 'struggled' with accepting her family’s rigid belief system.

"I can’t speak and cry. It’s terrible," she said in a clip obtained by Us Weekly. "First of all, I want to say that Joe, I’m so thankful for you. You really did change my life. Just through my teen years, I think I was having a hard time taking my parents' faith as my own and you really befriended me as an older brother."

On August 21, 2020, their daughter, Evelyn Mae, was born.

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The rest of the Duggar children

We thought you might like to know how old the youngest of the Duggar children are now. Twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah are now 23, Jason is 23, James is 20, Justin is 19, Jackson is aged 18, Johannah is 16, Jennifer is 14, Jordyn-Grace is 13 and Josie, the youngest, is now 12.

In 2020, Jedidiah ran for State Representative in his hometown of Springdale, Arkansas. And on April 3, 2021, he tied the knot to Katey Nakatsu, who is also 23.

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In September 2021, the couple announced they were expecting; and in May, Katey gave birth to their son, Truett.

Jeremiah lives five minutes away from his brother and works as a pilot.

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In October 2021, he announced he was Hannah Weismann; and in March, the couple got married.

Jason renovates and sells houses.

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And on February 26, 2021, Justin wed his fiancee of three months, Claire Spivey. 

Feature Image: Getty.

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