'I acted inexcusably': Josh Duggar breaks silence about molesting young girls when he was a teen as his parents claim the scandal 'drew the family closer to God'

• Josh Duggar, his parents and his wife Anna spoke out Thursday after a police report was unsealed
• Josh, 27, has resigned from the conservative lobbying group Family Research Council as Executive Director, FRC Action
• Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar say the scandal drew family closer to God 
• Anna reveals Josh told her about his 'mistakes' two years before wedding 
• Police report reveals that Jim Bob and Michelle knew Josh molested five females in their sleep, 'touching their breasts and genitals' in 2002-03
• Jim Bob and Michelle alerted church elders who also did not reach out to law enforcement and sent him to a three-month program with 'hard physical work and counseling' 
• Jim Bob took Josh to a trooper who was a family friend, Jim Hutchens, over a year after the offense and he did not file an official report
• Investigation began in 2006 when Oprah producers, who were interviewing the family, notified authorities after receiving an email detailing allegations
• Josh reportedly apologized to the minors and they forgave him
• The Duggars star in TLC's longest running show, hit 19 Kids and Counting 

By Dailymail.com Reporter and Chris Spargo

Published: 17:59 EST, 21 May 2015 | Updated: 07:21 EST, 22 May 2015

The telegenic world of the Duggar family has come crashing down this week, with the family finally breaking their silence Thursday afternoon after decade-old molestation claims and cover up were revealed.

The Christian stars of TLC's hit 19 Kids and Counting confirmed eldest son Josh molested young girls when he was a teen, that they knew about it, and it was revealed he told his wife about it before they married. 

Arkansas native Josh has also resigned from his position at the DC conservative lobbying group as Executive Director on Thursday as well, a job he took in the summer of 2013, uprooting his wife and three young children in the process. 

'Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,' Josh, 27, said in a statement.

Despite his resignation, Josh Duggar's biography was still on the Family Research Council website late Thursday afternoon. He left his job at the conservative lobbying group after breaking his silence about the decade old molestation case

In DC: Josh, seen here with son Marcus and daughter Mackynzie, was photographed at the airport in Washington earlier this week after a trip to Arkansas

The police report that revealed the claims was redacted and did not include names of his victims, but it also contradicts some of what Josh said on Thursday

'I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling,' Josh said to People.  

'I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.' 

Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative policy organization that employs Josh also released a statement, saying; 'Today Josh Duggar made the decision to resign his position as a result of previously unknown information becoming public concerning events that occurred during his teenage years.

'Josh believes that the situation will make it difficult for him to be effective in his current work. We believe this is the best decision for Josh and his family at this time. We will be praying for everyone involved.'

TLC, which airs the hit show 19 Kids and Counting, has not commented. They previously cancelled Here Comes Honey Boo Boo after a child molestation scandal. 

It's no surprise the Duggar family chose People to break their silence, as the magazine has featured many Duggar stories on their covers, with Jessa and Jill syndicating photos of and giving interviews about their weddings and pregnancies to the weekly.

Josh's parents also issued a join statement to People, acknowledging the scandal but crediting it with making them more religious.

 'Back 12 years ago our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives,' Jim Bob, 49, and Michelle, 48, told People. 

'When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before.'

Claims: An unsealed police report reveals that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar (above) were aware of their son Josh's alleged molestation in 2002. According to the report they avoided reporting it to officials

The family shared this throwback photo from 2000 on their Facebook page recently. Josh, seen standing in the back row, molested young girls two and three years later

Their statement continues, 'Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God. '

After a few more sentences thanking religion in their lives and admitting they are not perfect, they end; 'We hope somehow the story of our journey – the good times and the difficult times – cause you to see the kindness of God and learn that He can bring you through anything.'

However, other than a few months at what the family has described as a treatment center, it is unclear what counseling or help the family got.

They also did nothing official to prevent a 2003 incident, which occurred while the parents were out to dinner.

Most surprising of the statement released on Thursday was that from his pregnant wife Anna, currently expecting the couple's fourth child, who claimed she felt 'shock' when she first found out.

'When my family and I first visited the Duggar home, Josh shared his past teenage mistakes,' Anna, 26, told People. 

'I was surprised at his openness and humility and at the same time didn't know why he was sharing it. For Josh, he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was – even every difficult past mistakes.'

She also credits religion, saying her husband 'had humbled himself before God and those whom he had offended.'

Anna revealed that Josh told her about the molestation when they began courting, two years before they got married. They have been married over six years. She forgave him and her family was told too

However, the police report of Josh Duggar's alleged molestation reveals that incidents happened multiple times between the then-teenager and five girls, almost always while the minors were sleeping.

It also happened once when he was reading to a child. 

The Duggars have grown rich in recent years, traveling the country for paid speeches, publishing books about their family, and starring in never ending seasons of the TLC show.

The allegations are shocking, as is the lack of offical intervention on the part of Josh's parents. 

Both of his parents were aware of the situation but waited over a year to notify anyone in law enforcement, going at that time to see a family friend who was a trooper and did not file a report.

They had previously addressed it with a family meeting. 

They also revealed details of the incident to church elders who did not reach out to law enforcement. For years, nothing official was done, and the Duggars continued to have babies and Josh continued to live in the home, being homeschooled.

It was not until producers from The Oprah Winfrey Show, who were planning an interview with the family, received an email alerting them to the alleged molestation that an investigation began, this after the show reached out to the Department of Human Services.

That was in December of 2006, over four years after the first reported offense. That is the time period the police report, discovered by In Touch, game out

The police report and all other documents will now be destroyed after one of the victims successfully petitioned a judge on Thursday afternoon saying she was worried that an unredacted copy might be released.

TMZ reports the person was identified as 'Jane Doe.' 

The document states; 'The Police Report contains information, which may directly or indirectly identify the Movant as a victim of a sex crime, and Movant is a minor child.' 

The report, first uncovered by In Touch, named the Christian icon's eldest son in an underage sexual abuse probe. Josh met Anna at a home school conference

Lobbyist: Josh currently works for the Family Research Council, and frequently posts photos of himself with politicians (Rick Santorum on left, Ted Cruz on right)

Back in the day: The Duggar children and dad Jim Bob in early 2004 on their first show, 14 Children and Pregnant Again. What started off as one-off documentary shows on their family became what is now TLC's longest running show

InTouch reports; 'Josh Duggar was investigated for multiple sex offenses, including forcible fondling, against five minors. Some of the alleged offenses investigated were felonies.'

According to the police report, in March 2002, Jim Bob was told by a female minor that his son, then 14, had been 'touching her breasts and genitals while she slept' on numerous occasions.

Josh allegedly admitted to this according to the report, and Jim Bob says he was 'disciplined.'

He was accused again however in March 2003 of allegedly touching the breasts and genitals of 'several woman,' both while they were sleeping and even when they were awake. 

According to the police report 'there was another incident….[redacted, Josh] was reading to [redacted, alleged victim] and [redacted] was sitting on [redacted] lap, [redacted] had touched [redacted] breasts and vaginal area…[redacted] then ran out of the room and called [redacted] and told [redacted] what [redacted, Josh] had done.'

Also 'some time during this time frame, [redacted] had been standing in the laundry room and [redacted, Josh] had put [redacted] hand under [redacted, victim's] dress.'

The police report says the alleged victims 'live with their parents Jim Bob and Michelle.' 

At that point Jim Bob reportedly informed the elders at his church of the situation, but no one notified law enforcement.

The elders all agreed that Josh should be sent to a 'treatment program.'

The family did send Josh to a 'program [that] consisted of hard physical work and counseling' according to the police report for four months, but Jim Bob could not remember the name of the program.

The parents also said Josh apologized to the minors and they had forgiven him for the alleged molestation.

This seemed to be backed up in 2006 when one of the alleged victims said to police that Josh told 'mother and dad what had happened… (and) asked for forgiveness.'

They also added that the teenager had  'sought after God and had turned back to God.'

Gang's all here: All the Duggar children and parents Jim Bob and Michelle in 2014

Details: The police report says the alleged victims 'live with their parents Jim Bob and Michelle'

Cancelled: The report also reveals that the family was in Chicago when Oprah was alerted to the allegations

Carrying on: Josh's sisters Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald posted this Instagram with no reference to the tumultuous events enveloping their family today

After he returned home from his program, Jim Bob did take his son to Arkansas State Trooper Jim Hutchens, a family friend.

Hutchens had a stern talk with Josh, but did not take any official action.

He is now serving 60 years in prison after he being caught with child pornography shortly after being released from prison on a previous child pornography charge. 

Also around this time, according to the police report, 'a family friend aware of what had happened had written down in a letter what he knew of [redacted, Josh's] actions.

'That letter had been placed in a book and had subsequently been forgotten about. Just recently [in 2006] the book had been loaned to someone else with the letter in it and another person discovered the letter.'

Shortly after this is when Harpo, Winfrey's production company, received the email about the allegations and faxed it to Department of Human Services.

The email said that Jim Bob 'lies to his church and his friends to make him look good. At this moment he is in trouble with the church for lying about [name redacted] and things that concern the way the church members acted.'

The individual also wrote; '[The Duggars] have been on TV before and come across as a perfect family, which couldn't be further from the truth.'

The person who then called the hotline from The Oprah Winfrey Show said 'they found out this and asked the family about it, so the parents told them about it with [redacted] sitting right there.'

They said that the parents told them that the incident happened 3 1/2 years prior and that their son has been 'fondling [redacted names] breast and vaginas when they were sleeping.'

The caller said they were concerned this had never been 'reported' and that Josh had 'never received treatment.'

The report reveals that the Duggars were actually in Chicago, where Oprah taped, when authorities reached out to them. 

After seeing the email, police asked Jim Bob to bring his son in for an interview but he 'refused to produce his son for questioning.' 

Jim Bob also tried to hire a lawyer for his son but 'at least two lawyers refused to take his case.'

When Jim Bob and Michelle were interviewed, they detailed the allegations, which happened at a time when Josh and at least one victim 'were sleeping in a common room.'

The Duggar children now sleep in single-sex bedrooms, with all the girls sharing a bedroom and the boys sharing another bedroom. 

Industry: Four of the Duggar sisters, Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger chronicled their childhood in the famed family while their parents, Michelle and Jim Bob, also have written books about their Quiverfull lifestyle

Close knit: The homeschooled family is very close. Despite Josh moving to Washington, he is often in Arkansas with his family. He is seen here with four of his brothers n a recent fishing trip

In love: Josh and his wife Anna have three children, Mackynzie, Michael and Marcus, with a fourth on the way

Nuptials: The couple married on in a televised wedding in 2008, and famously saved their first kiss for marriage after a traditional courtship in which they only held hands after they were engaged

Another person interviewed by police, a female who was not a victim but knew the victims, said the incident 'had brought the family closer to God.' 

That individual, who said at the time of the interview they were working on getting their G.E.D., also said they only knew 'bits and pieces' about what happened.

Police spoke with an additional person who was not a victim but knew what happened as their 'mother and dad told them during a family meeting.' 

They said there were two family meetings and that each were a year apart and that after the second on '[redacted] went away for three months.'

The third non-victim they spoke to said they were never touched inappropriately but were touched on the bottom when 'mother and dad spank.'

That person also said that they use a 'rod' to spank, and that they do it to all the kids. 

Police questioned the fifth victim after the other four, who said she was sleeping over the Duggar's house on the couch when her breasts were touched.

She also said that Jim Bob and Michelle spoke with her parents in the aftermath. 

Authorities could not pursue charges at this point however as the three-year statute of limitations had expired. 

TLC, which airs 19 Kids and Counting, declined to comment on the report.

Family Research Council, where Josh works as an executive director for FRC Action, also did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Josh's cousin Amy Duggar was asked by Radar Online what her thoughts were about the release of this report, and responded by saying; 'I have nothing to say about that.'  

The Duggar family has endorsed Mike Huckabee for president and both of Josh's parents Jim Bob and Michelle can be seen on his website. They are the top two photos at right

Michelle's quote reads 'Mike Huckabee is a man of faith who is very wise He will help get our nation back on track'

Michelle is seen with Josh in 2003 (left) and with her husband and the Huckabees (right)

Sisters in motherhood: From left, Josh's sister Jill Duggar Dillard, now a mom to a month old baby boy, Anna, expecting a girl in July, and Josh's sister Jessa, a newlywed due on her first anniversary. They all trust God to family plan

The family uses their show, paid speeches and massive social media following to spread their beliefs. Anna, who will never take birth control, offer shares prolife messages

The family is very conservative. All the children are homeschooled and only one child has attended college away from home, son Joseph, who attends a Bible college in Tennessee.

The whole family practices 'modest dress. None of the daughters of Michelle wears pants or shorts. They only wear skirts below the knee that are not form fitting. They even wear long skirts to work out. They also cover their cleavage and shoulders.

The boys and men do not wear shorts. 

The family wears body-covering modest swimwear if they go swimming.

They family does not dance and does not want their children to dance. 

When Michelle, and later Josh's wife Anna, go for ultrasounds during their many pregnancies documented on the television show, they make a point to cover their stomachs from cameras and everyone else in the room. 

Josh, 27, is currently married and he and his wife Anna have three children, Mackynzie, Michael and Marcus, with a fourth on the way. 

They aired their 'gender reveal' party on the family's show, and they are expecting a little girl in July.

The couple married on in a televised wedding in 2008, and famously saved their first kiss for marriage after a traditional courtship in which they only held hands after they were engaged.

The met at a Texas home school conference. 

Anna is from a large family, the Kellers, in Florida.

Jim Bob and Michelle (right with Josh) claimed their son had apologized to the minors and they had forgiven him for the alleged molestation

On the road: Josh and his wife Anna with Senator Tom Cotton and his wife as they kickoff their Faith, Family and Freedom Tour in Arkansas last year

Josh and Anna Duggar appear in 19 Kids and Counting (2013)

The Duggar family are staunchly pro-life, trust in God for family planning rather than birth control and are now campaigning for their friend and fellow Arkansas native Mike Huckabee to he President.

Before moving to Washington DC almost two years ago to work at the Family Research Council, Josh ran a used car dealership in Arkansas and lived in a small two bedroom house owned by his parents.

Their first two children were born in the house - with Josh and sister Jill assisting in Mackynzie's birth in the master bedroom and Michael's birth on the toilet.

Marcus was delivered at a midwifery center nearby.

Jim Bob and his wife Michelle have 19 children, nine girls and ten boys, and Josh is the eldest.

They also frequently visit cousin Amy, also 28, their only cousin on Jim Bob's side of the family and an aspiring singer who was born out of wedlock to Jim Bob's sister.

All of Jim Bob and Michelle's children's names start with 'J'.

The TLC show was previously called '17 Kids and Counting' and '18 Kids and Counting', but looks to be done at 19 Kids and counting as Michelle hasn't given birth in four years and it's now grandchild time.

Josh is the parent of three of the Duggar's four grandchildren. All their children have names starting with M, and the first two were born at home.

Josh's younger sister Jill recently gave birth to grandchild four, son Israel, and daughter Jessa is expecting the sixth Duggar grandchild with her husband Ben, 20.  

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