Did Josie Duggar from Counting On pass away? Viral claim debunked

Josie Duggar, the youngest member of the Duggar family, has been rumored to have passed away from cancer. Several Facebook pages have been going around making this claim. The posts even received a huge number of likes and comments as well. Netizens flooded those with condolences for the family.

One such post, uploaded by Tammy-Halterman suggested the same and also included a photo of Josie. The post read,

"R.I.P 😭!! "Counting On" The youngest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar - Josie Duggar has breathed her last after a long battle with cancer. She passed away at the age of 16. Don’t pass by without offering your condolences to the Duggar family 🙏!!!"

Despite thousands of remarks from netizens expressing shock with the alleged demise, a few questioned the authenticity of the claims. It is to be noted that the news is fake since there is no official report suggesting that Josie had cancer. While Josie had complications while she was born, there is no mention of a cancer diagnosis in any official report.

No official reports suggesting the girl's death have also been found as of now. Thus, the viral news is fake and must be debunked.

Everything to know about Josie Duggar from Counting On

 

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Josie Duggar was born in December 2009, in Arkansas, at 25 weeks gestation and weighed just 1 lb 6 oz. According to reports by Hello Magazine, Josie even had to spend six months in the NICU before she was discharged to go home. In 2021, the family even shared photos of Josie on World Prematurity Day, usually celebrated on November 17.

A week after her birth, Josie was reportedly diagnosed with perforated bowel. The outlet reported that the family had always considered Josie as a miracle. For the unversed, Josie Duggar is the youngest of 19 children. The Duggar Family had written about her on their official website as well, where they called Josie "a lively, spunky little girl."

The website further read,

"Josie is a ball of energy. From the time she wakes up in the morning until her head hits the pillow at night, she rarely slows down."

It was further revealed that Josie Duggar had a special interest in music. From a very young age, she reportedly was singing and playing the piano. According to the site, she also had a number of pet mice that she loved to carry around. She was described as someone who is a "deep thinker and asks thought-provoking questions."

 

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Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar initially planned to have two or three kids but then ended up having a family with nineteen children, including Josie. The family even became a major focus of the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting. The show came to an end in 2015, after the eldest son, Josh Duggar, faced some serious molestation allegations.

The recent rumors about Josie Duggar's death bothered and worried many netizens who thought that it was true. Many seemed quite affected by the news, without knowing that it was fake.