Jed Duggar and his wife Katey Spark are facing backlash over a pregnancy announcement that made light of COVID-19.
The pair revealed they were expecting their first child Monday on Instagram. The post featured a photo of Spark holding up a board that reads, "And then there were 3. Baby Duggar, Spring '22." The photo was innocent enough but it was the caption that sparked outrage.
"She tested positive, but not for COVID," Duggar wrote.
Leading the criticism was "Without a Crystal Ball" host Katie Joy, who called the couple "insensitive" for the post, which comes amid the current COVID-19 surge in the pair's native Arkansas.
"Arkansas is facing some of the worst with COVID right now due to low vaccination rates," Joy wrote on Instagram. "656,000 Americans have died from COVID since the virus hit 18 months ago."
Joy also pointed out the couple did not hesitate to share a photo in which Spark held up a board with the same COVID joke in a YouTube video but refrained from including that specific photo on Instagram— something that she believes was intentional.
In the YouTube pregnancy announcement in question, Spark revealed she took the pregnancy test in a Walmart bathroom.
"He started tearing up. It was so sweet," she recalled of how Jed reacted to the pregnancy news. "And then we, like, started hugging in the middle of Walmart. And he was like, crying. And then we went out, and I started screaming in the parking lot."
Spark added, God had answered their prayers.
"His timing is perfect. Like, it is absolutely perfect. So, we're so grateful. So excited," she said.
The news comes after the Duggar family, which shot to fame in 2008 when they became the subject of the reality TV show, "19 Kids and Counting," were dealt two massive blows.
First Josh Duggar was arrested on charges of downloading and possessing child pornography earlier this year. Then TLC pulled the "19 Kids" spin-off show, "Counting On," which featured members of the Duggar family, but not Josh, after 11 seasons.
In announcing the cancellation of the show, TLC said in a statement it felt it was important to give the Duggar family the opportunity to address their situation privately.
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Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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