Back in June, Jim Bob Duggar’s beloved mother, Mary Duggar, passed away at the age of 78. Due to her advanced age, it was initially assumed that Mary had died of natural causes. But that later proved not to be the case. Fans were shocked to learn that Mary had drowned under mysterious circumstances. While several members of the Duggar family paid tribute to Mary in heartfelt social media posts, none of them offered any details with regard to the circumstances under which she drowned. And that’s certainly their right. But considering the family’s close relationship with fans, it’s not surprising that overzealous Duggar obsessives were quick to accuse Jim Bob and company of dodging questions about Mary’s death . Now, in an exclusive interview, a source close to the family tells The Hollywood Gossip that the Duggars may have had good reason to keep the details of Mary’s passing under wraps. Earlier this week, the insider — a former employee of the Duggars who developed close friendships with several members of the family — informed us that in recent months, Josiah Duggar has been clashing with Jim Bob like never before. Asked about the exact nature of their conflict, the source informed us that Mary was a confidant to both men — and their secrets may have been buried alongside her. “I think the only one who knew took it to her grave when she drowned,” said the tipster. “I still have my doubts on that death theory,” he added turning his attention to Mary’s drowning. “Her daughter is a dollar chasing piece of work who Jim Bob keeps at arm’s length.” He was referring to Deanna Jordan, Jim Bob’s sister and only sibling. Deanna and Jim Bob have been never been particularly close, and they appear to have cut ties entirely in the weeks since Mary’s passing. We have no way of knowing why that might be, but since Deanna was Mary’s primary caretaker in her final years, fans have speculated that Jim Bob feels her negligence was the true cause of his mother’s passing. Citing the version of events that the Duggars have shared with close family and friends, our source told us: “They said she tripped and fell in the pool and drowned, and her daughter found her.” However, the insider has doubts about that claim. Deanna was the only person present when her mother’s body was found, and the informant told us she doesn’t have the greatest reputation in terms of honesty and transparency. “Never liked gold diggers or people that have to be the center of attraction,” he said, dismissing Deanna as a money-hungry social climber. The source added that Deanna no longer sees Jim Bob as her path to fame and fortune, however. Instead, she now believes her daughter, Amy Duggar, will be the one to put her on the path toward Easy Street. “Her daughter Amy is a chip of the old block,” the source said. He added that Amy briefly attempted to make it as a country singer, but quickly abandoned those plans: “Went to Nashville and a friend of mine up there said she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket,” he told us. “Just trying to live off the Duggàr name.” Of course, even if it’s true that Mary tripped and fell into a pool while under her daughter’s care, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Deanna is at fault. Even in her later years, Mary was fully mobile and largely self-reliant, and she could have drowned after being left unattended for only a few minutes. Still, it’s not hard to see how her passing may have been the final straw for Jim Bob. He and his sister have been at odds for quite some time, and their relationship became particularly strained in the years since Deanna’s divorce . (The Duggars take marriage very seriously and believe divorce should be reserved for only the most severe circumstances.) Whatever the case, it sounds like the passing of their beloved matriarch has resulted in a major rift among the Duggars that may never be fully healed. View Slideshow: Duggar Family: Secrets of Their Twisted Ministry Revealed
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Mary Duggar: Details of Her Grisly Death Finally Revealed [Exclusive]
