Ben Seewaldhas spoken out one day after brother-in-lawJosh Duggarwas convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.On Friday, Ben, 26, shared a statement to his social media pages on behalf of him and wifeJessa (Duggar) Seewald, Josh’s younger sister.“From the moment we learned of this case against Josh we have prayed that God would cause the truth to be made known, no matter what it was, and that the facts would be followed wherever they led,” hewrote.“We are grieved beyond words over the children exploited and abused in child sexual abuse material, and we are thankful for our justice system in its punishment of such evils,” Ben continued. “Our hearts break for Josh’s family and we ask your continued prayers for them in the unfathomable grief and pain they are enduring.“Josh, 33, wasarrestedin April andpleaded not guiltyto the charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. After an eight-day trial, the juryfound him guilty on both counts.The former reality star, who previously facedchild molestationallegations related to his conduct as a teenager, could get up to 20 years of imprisonment and up to $250,000 in fines. Hissentencingis expected in four months, but a date hasn’t been scheduled, pending a pre-sentence investigation.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Jessa, 29, appeared in court on the fifth day of Josh’s trial earlier this week, sitting next to his wifeAnna Duggar.Several otherof Josh’s family members also appearedat various points throughout the trial, including dadJim Boband siblingsJustin,JillandJoy-Anna. Joy-Anna’s husband Austin Forsyth also attended, as did Jill’s,Derick Dillard.Jessa Seewald/Instagram; Patsy Lynch/ShutterstockJill and Derickissued their own statementon the matter Thursday evening,writingthat they feel that they “have been lied to so much that we wanted to hear the evidence for ourselves in court. After seeing all the evidence as it was presented, we believe that the jury reached a just verdict today, consistent with the truth beyond a reasonable doubt.““Josh’s actions have rippled far beyond the epicenter of the offense itself. Children have scars, but his family is also suffering the fallout of his actions,” the Dillards continued.“Our hearts are sensitive to the pains Josh’s wife, Anna, and their seven children have already endured and will continue to process in the future. This trial has felt more like a funeral than anything else. Josh’s family has a long road ahead. We stand with them, we are praying for them, and we will seek to support them however we can during this dark time,” they concluded.Jim Bob, 56, and his wifeMichellealsobroke their silenceafter the verdict on Thursday.“In the days ahead, we will do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support,” theywrotein part. “As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children. In each of life’s circumstances, we place our trust in God. He is our source of strength and refuge. Thank you for your prayers.“If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Ben Seewaldhas spoken out one day after brother-in-lawJosh Duggarwas convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
On Friday, Ben, 26, shared a statement to his social media pages on behalf of him and wifeJessa (Duggar) Seewald, Josh’s younger sister.
“From the moment we learned of this case against Josh we have prayed that God would cause the truth to be made known, no matter what it was, and that the facts would be followed wherever they led,” hewrote.
“We are grieved beyond words over the children exploited and abused in child sexual abuse material, and we are thankful for our justice system in its punishment of such evils,” Ben continued. “Our hearts break for Josh’s family and we ask your continued prayers for them in the unfathomable grief and pain they are enduring.”
Josh, 33, wasarrestedin April andpleaded not guiltyto the charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. After an eight-day trial, the juryfound him guilty on both counts.
The former reality star, who previously facedchild molestationallegations related to his conduct as a teenager, could get up to 20 years of imprisonment and up to $250,000 in fines. Hissentencingis expected in four months, but a date hasn’t been scheduled, pending a pre-sentence investigation.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Jessa, 29, appeared in court on the fifth day of Josh’s trial earlier this week, sitting next to his wifeAnna Duggar.
Several otherof Josh’s family members also appearedat various points throughout the trial, including dadJim Boband siblingsJustin,JillandJoy-Anna. Joy-Anna’s husband Austin Forsyth also attended, as did Jill’s,Derick Dillard.
Jessa Seewald/Instagram; Patsy Lynch/Shutterstock
Jill and Derickissued their own statementon the matter Thursday evening,writingthat they feel that they “have been lied to so much that we wanted to hear the evidence for ourselves in court. After seeing all the evidence as it was presented, we believe that the jury reached a just verdict today, consistent with the truth beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Josh’s actions have rippled far beyond the epicenter of the offense itself. Children have scars, but his family is also suffering the fallout of his actions,” the Dillards continued.
“Our hearts are sensitive to the pains Josh’s wife, Anna, and their seven children have already endured and will continue to process in the future. This trial has felt more like a funeral than anything else. Josh’s family has a long road ahead. We stand with them, we are praying for them, and we will seek to support them however we can during this dark time,” they concluded.
Jim Bob, 56, and his wifeMichellealsobroke their silenceafter the verdict on Thursday.
“In the days ahead, we will do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support,” theywrotein part. “As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children. In each of life’s circumstances, we place our trust in God. He is our source of strength and refuge. Thank you for your prayers.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
