Jana Duggar’s longtime friend Laura DeMasie showed public support to the Counting On alum amid her child endangerment charge.
On Monday, December 13, DeMasie reposted a statement shared by Jana’s sister Jessa Seewald (née Duggar), which defended the 31-year-old as being a good caretaker and began, “Getting messages about headlines about Jana.”
“Bottom line — it was an innocent mistake,” Jessa, 29, wrote via her Instagram Story, explaining more about the incident that allegedly took place on September 9, 2021. “She was babysitting and one of the kids slipped out the door unnoticed, but it ended safely. Could’ve happened to anyone,” the mom of two continued.
“She’s without question, one of the most amazing women I know, and I’d trust her with my kids any day of the week. Do me a favor — give the girl a break, and all you perfect humans go back to living your lives.”
DeMasie, 34, approved of the message by adding a gif reading, “Amen.”
On December 10, the Elms Springs district clerk confirmed to Life & Style that Jana was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, a misdemeanor in the state of Arkansas to which she pleaded not guilty. Her hearing is set for January 10, 2022.
Hours after DeMasie took to Instagram to defend Jana, the former TLC star broke her silence in a statement to explain what allegedly transpired that day.
“I prefer a more private life, but I know my last name means that everything we do is open to public criticism and interest, especially during this time,” Jana wrote via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, December 14. “The raw facts: I was babysitting a few months ago when one of the children wandered outside alone. A passerby who saw the child called the police. This resulted in a written citation, as well as a follow-up with child welfare who concluded that it was an accident, and the child was unharmed. They recognized it was a case of a child slipping out of the house when you turn your back for a moment.”
“It all happened so quickly and was scary,” wrote the eldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. “I am grateful for law enforcement and those who protect and serve our community. I was certainly never arrested like some may have implied. In the end I was just upset at myself that it had happened at all, but so thankful it all ended safely and that’s truly what mattered the most to me.”