Jana Duggar is detailing the circumstances surrounding her recent child endangerment citation, dubbing the incident a simple "accident."
"I'm only sharing this because the media has been having a field day with it all. I prefer a more private life, but I know my last name means that everything we do is open to public criticism and interest, especially during this time," the "Counting On" alum wrote on her Instagram Story on Dec. 14.
"The raw facts: I was babysitting a few months ago when one of the children wandered outside alone," Jana continued. "A passerby who saw the child called the police. This resulted in a written citation, as well as a follow-up with child welfare who concluded that it was an accident, and the child was unharmed."
Jana was cited for the incident on Sept. 9, 2021. She's due in court next month.
The eldest daughter of the Duggar clan said authorities "recognized it was a case of a child slipping out of the house when you turn your back for a moment."
"It all happened so quickly and was scary. I am grateful for law enforcement and those who protect and serve our community," she wrote. "I was certainly never arrested like some may have implied. In the end, I was just upset at myself that it had happened at all, but so thankful it all ended safely and that's truly what mattered the most to me."
Jessa Duggar Seewald also took to social media to defend her older sister.
"Getting messages about headlines about Jana. Bottom line — it was an innocent mistake," she wrote. "She was babysitting and one of the kids slipped out the door unnoticed, but it ended safely. Could've happened to anyone."
"The media is sensationalizing this because of other current family circumstances and it makes me so mad," she continued, referencing her brother Josh Duggar's recent conviction. "She's without question one of the most amazing women I know and I'd trust her with my kids any day of the week. Do me a favor — give the girl a break, and all you perfect humans go back to living your lives."
Jana's legal situation comes less than a week after an Arkansas jury found her brother Josh guilty on two charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. He will be sentenced at a later date, but he faces up to 40 years in prison