Counting On alums Josiah Duggar and his wife, Lauren Duggar (née Swanson), have fans raising their eyebrows after they deleted all but six of their posts on Instagram. The deletion is leading fans to speculate the couple is attempting to distance themselves from the public eye and are “preparing for the worst” amid Josh Duggar‘s ongoing child pornography trial.
“It’s probably because of Josh and his trial and arrest. A lot of the Duggars have started giving their kids more privacy since the initial arrest,” one follower speculated on the Without a Crystal Ball Instagram post documenting the deletion. Another added, “I think they’re preparing for the worst with Josh’s trial, a lot of scrutiny.”
“I’m sure they’re just trying to protect their children,” a third suggested.
As Josiah, 25, and Lauren, 22, are not as active on social media as other members of the Duggar clan, the cleansing of their joint Instagram account stands out. The couple, who were married in June 2018 when Lauren was just 18 years old, have scrubbed all photos of their wedding, their baby shower, mention of their tragic miscarriage and pictures of Lauren’s family.
Josiah’s brother Josh, 33, was arrested on April 29 and charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography, In Touch previously confirmed. The arrest occurred just six days after he and his wife, Anna Duggar, announced they were expecting their seventh child. He pleaded not guilty on April 30.
According to a press release obtained by In Touch from the United States Department of Justice, Josh allegedly used the internet to download child sexual abuse material. If found guilty, the former political activist could face up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 on each count.
On May 6, the disgraced reality TV star was released on bond to the custody of family friends, Lacount and Maria Reber, where he remains on home confinement. The former 19 Kids and Counting star is allowed to see his children, Mackynzie, Michael, Marcus, Meredith, Mason, Maryella and newborn Madyson, as long as Anna, 33, is present.
On November 18, Anna showed support for her husband, whom she married in September 2008, by appearing beside him during his pre-trial hearing. All four motions filed by Josh’s attorney, Justin Gelfand, on August 20 were denied at the hearing, including a motion to dismiss evidence in the form of a photo of Josh’s hands that were taken while he was in custody at Washington County jail on April 29, and a request to dismiss the child pornography case entirely.
Josh’s trial is set to begin on November 30.
While Anna has yet to publicly address the allegations against her husband, Josh’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, released a statement on the official family blog following his arrest.
“We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious,” their statement, released on April 30, 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.”