Another ‘Quiverfull’ TLC Family, The Willis Clan, Rocked by Child Rape Allegations

Patriarch Toby Willis Accused of Sexually Assaulting Young Relative One Year After Josh Duggar Scandal

“The Willis Clan” was promoted by TLC as a Duggar-style family, but the similarities may have gone too far.

The patriarch of the “quiverfull” family, Toby Willis, was arrested on Sept. 9 in Kentucky for allegedly raping an underage family member 12 years ago. The family member was between the ages of 3 and 12 at the time. The four eldest of Willis’ daughters fall into that age range. The young girl was, “removed by Willis from her bed and raped,” according to police.

Police have also confirmed that Willis is not allowed near his wife or children. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 21.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation started looking into the allegations on Aug. 29, after receiving information about the incident.

The Willis clan gained notoriety from “America’s Got Talent,” and their show on TLC was canceled after two seasons for low ratings before the allegations came to light.  

The Willis family’s oldest daughter, Jessica, left the family’s band earlier this summer, although a YouTube video in which the family talked about her absence has since been made private.

All of the band’s social media accounts, including their official Facebook page, have been deleted, along with their website. All upcoming performances have been canceled.

Brenda Willis, the family matriarch, released a statement on Wednesday saying she was “shocked and devastated.” 

“As these are very trying times for the Willis family, I kindly ask all to respect our families privacy,” she said. “As a mother of twelve, my first priority remains with my children and helping them through this traumatic event. We are canceling all appearances for the foreseeable future to focus on the children and their well-being. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We have, and will continue, to fully cooperate with law enforcement officials and ask that you direct all inquiries regarding Toby Willis’ case to the District Attorney’s office who have our complete support.”

TLC canceled the Duggar family’s show, “19 Kids and Counting,” in 2015 after Josh Duggar was accused of molesting five young girls, including his sisters.