Anna Duggar already stood by husband Josh through a cheating scandal, porn addiction and more. We’ve got five things to know about Anna as Josh faces child pornography possession charges.
Anna Duggar claimed “God’s grace” helped her forgive and remain committed to husband Josh Duggar amid his myriad of scandals in 2015, including molesting four of his sisters as a teen, having a serious porn addiction and cheating on his then-pregnant wife. Now the 33-year-old father of six has been charged with “knowingly receiving child pornography” and “knowingly possessing material that contained images of child pornography. Some of the images allegedly show the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12.
Josh was arrested by federal agents on Apr. 29, 2021 and booked into the Washington County, Arkansas jail, where he was held without bond. The following day, his lawyer entered a not guilty plea on Josh’s behalf as the former TLC reality star appeared via a remote video camera. We’ve got five things to know about Anna, who is currently expecting the couple’s seventh child.
Anna is deeply religious and very forgiving
It was her devout faith in God that allowed her to forgive Josh and remain married to him, even after all of his scandals. She appeared on a Mar. 2016 episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, where Anna revealed in a confessional, “God’s grace can give me the strength to love Josh when others would say he doesn’t deserve it.” At the time, Josh had just completed six months in a faith-based rehab for his porn addiction. Anna added that after meeting with Josh’s sisters — who he confessed to molesting in 2003 — that, “The visit was great because it definitely gives a lot of hope, but also the weight of everything is there and so it definitely drives me deeper to my faith.” Jill has already spoken out about Josh’s arrest, saying “It is very sad.”
Anna is currently pregnant
Just five days before Josh’s arrest, Anna shared a video via her Instagram account that the couple is expecting their 7th child. In a video showing the couple underneath a clear umbrella, Josh opened it up as pink confetti rained down upon them. “It’s a GIRL!!!!!” she wrote in the caption, adding, “We are overjoyed to announce baby seven is on the way and we can’t wait to hold her in our arms this fall!”
Anna had just given birth amid Josh’s scandals in 2015
Anna delivered the couple’s fourth child, a daughter Meredith on July 16, 2015. That was the same day that TLC announced that the network was cancelling the Duggar family reality show 19 Kids and Counting and would not be re-airing any old episodes. The decision came because of the revelation that Josh molested four of his sisters when he was a teen. In Aug. 2015, it was revealed that Josh had two profiles on the one night stand dating site Ashley Madison, for married folks seeking hookups. Josh was then accused by a stripper of having an affair, and admitted to having a porn addiction, as well as cheating on Anna.
Anna comes from a large family
She’s one of eight children by devoutly religious parents Michael and Suzette Keller. She’s their fifth child and fourth daughter. Anna and her siblings were homeschooled, and she met Josh in 2006 at homeschooling convention.
Josh’s marriage proposal to Anna was televised
The pair entered a courtship in 2006, in which their dating rules included no physical contact until engagement (including holding hands or kissing) and no time alone together until they were married. Their courtship was featured on what was then 17 Kids and Counting (before Jim Bob Duggar and wife Michelle had two more children). Josh proposed to Anna on her June 23, 2008 20th birthday, which was shown on the 17 Kids and Counting episode “Josh Gets Engaged.” The couple married three months later on Sept. 26, 2008, where they were finally able to share their first kiss.