Fans of 19 Kids and Counting were horrified after it emerged that eldest son Josh Duggar had molested two of his younger sisters.
Josh was never arrested and due to America’s statute of limitations- which prevents the investigation of historical sex offences- police are unable to launch an investigation.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar spoke out in defence of their son in a candid interview following the controversy.
Dad Jim Bob said: "He was just curious about girls and he had gone in and touched them over their clothes while they were sleeping.”
Mum Michelle added that she tried to stop anything further happening to her daughters.
She said: "It was so important to us as parents to talk to the girls and make sure nothing else had happened."
Jessa, now 22, fell victim to her brother as a youngster. She also decided to speak out in defence of her brother.
She said in the interview: "I do want to speak up in his defence against people who are calling him a child molester or a paedophile or a rapist, some people are saying. I'm like that is so overboard and a lie really, I mean people get mad at me for saying that but I can say this because I was one of the victims."
The parents added: "Of course this is public shame that our son did this. We thought at first that Josh was on the road to manhood at first. But he was just a kid. He was still juvenile. But there was a couple more times he came and told us what he had done, and we were devastated."
The family shot to fame in their hugely popular reality series where they discuss their strict religious morals and quirky family lifestyle.
Do you think Josh’s parents were right to defend him? Let us know in the comments box below.