Arkansas Cops Shred Duggar's Police Record

But online copy has details of child-molestation case
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted May 24, 2015 5:00 PM CDT
Updated May 25, 2015 12:04 AM CDT
Arkansas Cops Shred Duggar's Police Record
In this Aug. 29, 2014, file photo, Josh Duggar, executive director of FRC Action, speaks in favor the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark.   (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

Arkansas cops destroyed Josh Duggar's police file last week, but an online copy is revealing details of his alleged sexual crimes. A judge ordered police to erase the records amid allegations that the reality TV star on 19 Kids and Counting had molested five underage girls as a teenager, the AP reports via USA Today. "The judge ordered us yesterday to expunge that record," a police rep said on Friday. "As far as the Springdale Police Department is concerned this report doesn't exist." But a redacted copy posted by In Touch says Duggar confessed to authorities and received no punishment—just a "very stern talk" from a state trooper, People reports. That was 16 months after Duggar first admitted "wrong-doing" to his father, Jim Bob, the reports say.

Duggar also sought rehabilitation at the Institute in Basic Life Principles Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, before going to police, adds People. The Center purports to "strengthen individuals and families through sound Biblical teachings," its website says, but has been called a place "where these kids almost disappear" and was investigated by Child Protective Services. The Center's founder, 79-year-old Bill Gothard, resigned after accusations last year of sexual harassment and assault against 34 women. Duggar's alleged crimes were no secret either, torpedoing a Duggar family appearance on Oprah in 2006 and coming up on a message board a year later, Gawker reports. "Oprah was informed that Josh ... had been molesting his sisters," reads one comment. "Yes, this is the truth." (More child molestation stories.)

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