Josh Duggar will be released into the custody of Lacount and Maria Reber, which has Duggar watchers wondering who they are and how they know the famous family.
Lacount and Maria are good friends of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. They revealed they didn’t know Josh well at all but are close to the parents. There was also confirmation that the Duggars had asked them to step up and assist their family.
According to Us Weekly, Maria told the federal probation officer, “She and her husband felt that they should help Mr. Duggar’s parents and Mr. Duggar.”
The officer went on to explain, “I believe that … based on Mr. Reber’s job occupation, the fact that he’s a pastor and volunteers [at] Gentle Ministries, I believe that they could be suitable third-party custodians. However, the minors that come to the home causes the Probation Office some concern, as well as the pistols that won’t be locked away in a safe and or removed from the home also causes the Probation Office concern.”
Many people wonder who the Rebers are and why they would choose to take care of Josh while he is out on bail awaiting the trial to begin.
Who are Lacount and Maria Reber?
According to a deep dive from a Redditor, Lacount and Maria Reber run in the same circle as the Duggars. Their children are known to the Duggar children as well, so there is a relationship there.
Their marriage is allegedly very typical of those who run in the same circles. Lacount reportedly makes the decisions while Maria has to sit back and watch.
They have two children, Lemuel and Hannah. Back in February, Lemuel married a woman named Hannah Bunch. Standing up in the wedding were Duggar sons, Jeremiah and Jedidiah, and Austin Forsyth was also a groomsman.
The Reber daughter, Hannah, was giving piano lessons out of the home, but now, she will have to refrain from teaching any minors in the home while Josh Duggar is there. She is 22 years old, so it isn’t a concern to have her in the house.
Why did the Rebers agree to keep track of Josh Duggar?
During the bail hearing, there were plenty of questions about why Lacount and Maria Reber were chosen as third-party custodians.
The judge reportedly questioned the couple about whether they received money from someone to take custody of Josh Duggar so that he could see his child and his pregnant wife. There were also instructions that, should the former reality TV star falter, the reports need to be made to the court, not to church elders or Jim Bob Duggar.
In another part of her conversation with the probation officer, Maria Reber said, “I am looking at it as we are here of help for the family … to Josh and Anna, and we want to administer to them as best as we can. … My husband has made the decision and I’m here to support that decision. … My husband has a passion and love for ministry, and as a family, we have always ministered to others. Maybe not in this capacity, but as we go through life, you just never know what God puts in front of you in such a time as this.”
As conditions of his bail being granted, the Rebers will need to monitor Josh at every moment. He will have an ankle monitor and can see his six children as long as his wife, Anna Duggar, is present. There are no stipulations about how much time he can spend with his family, only that he has to do it in the presence of their mother.
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