Amy Duggar King reveals the whole truth about her cousin Joseph. The mastermind is gradually becoming clear.

Amy Duggar King is speaking out after Joseph Duggar’s arrest.

On Friday, March 20, Amy says in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, “In light of the recent allegations involving my cousin, Joseph Duggar, I am sickened, heartbroken and deeply angry.”

“My first thoughts are with the victim, a child who deserved to be safe, protected and surrounded by people she could trust,” she continues. “The courage it took for her to come forward, especially after years of carrying something so heavy, cannot be overstated. That bravery deserves to be honored above all else.”

Amy, 39, says she was “utterly shocked to hear about these allegations and Joseph’s arrest,” however, “at the same time, I am not surprised that another alleged predator has emerged from this toxic system.”

“For years, I have spoken out about the importance of truth, accountability and protecting children, even when it meant going against my own family,” Amy says. “Family ties should never equal automatic trust or access, especially when it comes to the safety of children.

When an image is protected over truth, and silence is chosen over accountability, it creates an environment where abuse can thrive.”

“I have worked hard to break cycles in both my extended family and my immediate family,” she adds. “My boundaries are in place for a reason, and I have used my voice to expose the darkness and advocate for the protection of children, a journey I wrote about in Holy Disruptor:

Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the Truth as a way to help others recognize harmful patterns, speak the truth and find their voice in toxic systems.”

Amy says she is “praying for the victim and her family as they walk through what is sure to be an incredibly difficult road ahead.” She adds, “Recognizing that we do not yet know the full picture, I am also praying for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, as she begins to process this, and for the protection of their children. I’m praying for eyes to be opened and above all, I pray that justice will be served to the fullest.”

The statement follows Joseph’s arrest on Wednesday, March 18. He was charged with two counts of child sex abuse, per the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, in connection with a 2020 incident involving a then-9-year-old girl who was on vacation with her family in Panama City Beach, Fla.

Joseph, 31, made his first court appearance in an Arkansas courthouse on Friday, March 20 via Zoom as he waived his right to an extradition hearing.

On Wednesday, the former reality star had been booked into the Washington County, Ark., jail at 3:59 p.m. local time and was awaiting extradition to Bay County to face his charges, per authorities. The alleged sexual abuse, per the BCSO, took place when Joseph allegedly asked the victim to sit on his lap during a vacation.

He then “also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket” as the vacation continued, per the sheriff’s office. “During this time, Joseph manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Joseph would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs,” the BCSO wrote on Facebook.

“The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology,” the office continued.

The charges against were filed by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office after they learned the now-14-year-old girl allegedly reported he sexually molested her in 2020. Per a BCSO statement, Joseph had been asked about the girl’s accusations by her father on March 17 and allegedly confessed.

Joseph is a father of four who has been married to his wife Kendra since 2017. He has appeared on all four iterations of his family’s TLC reality series franchise.

Following the arrest, Jill Duggar Dillard’s family addressed the news on the Dillard Family blog, writing, “We were shocked yesterday evening to learn of Jill’s brother (Joseph Duggar’s) arrest.”

“We strongly condemn abuse,” the message read. “We support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved. Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family,” adding, “We pray God gives her strength, comfort and hope, and that she is able to get all the help and support she needs and deserves in the days ahead.”

The post also addressed Kendra and her children, continuing, “We pray that they feel loved and supported during this time as we cannot imagine the indescribable pain they feel as they process and grieve everything.”

Joseph’s oldest brother Josh previously admitted in 2015 to molesting four of his younger sisters. In 2021, he was convicted of receiving and possessing material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct after investigators discovered such material on his work computer at a used car dealership he operated.

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.