With the rise in popularity of family reality TV shows, many have turned to an easier and more profitable medium: social media. The Dougherty Dozen have millions of followers across various platforms. However, they may lose fans after a family member’s shocking arrest for public lewdness after getting caught in a compromising position. Keep reading for all the details.
Who Are The Dougherty Dozen?
The Dougherty family went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was stuck at home, trying to find ways to pass the time. Alicia and Josh Dougherty are the parents of 11 children, both adopted and biological. Alicia’s videos of meal prepping for a large family gained major attention.
Alicia and Josh Dougherty were college sweethearts. They tied the knot in 2003 after graduation. They struggled with fertility when it came time to start a family. The couple adopted their oldest son, Alex, in 2011, when he was 5. Shortly after adopting Alex, they found out they were pregnant with their daughter, Zoey, now 14.
They expanded their family again when they adopted James. Shortly after the adoption, they again found out that they were pregnant with Dash, now 12. They went on to adopt twins Jason and Jordan before welcoming two more children, Bodhi and Harlee Quinton. They adopted two more children, Bree and Patrick, leading to the ‘Dougherty Dozen’ moniker. However, they added one more child to the family when they adopted Dayshawn in 2022.
That’s a lot of mouths to feed. Alicia Dougherty often posts videos on the family’s YouTube channel about meal prepping or large grocery hauls to feed the family of 13.
Family Member Arrested For Public Lewdness
Most of the Dougherty kids are still minors. However, Alex is 20, and James is 19. James William Dougherty was arrested on July 29 for public lewdness. PEOPLE magazine reported that he was arrested at the Eastview Mall in Victor, New York, near where the family lives.
“Through investigation, it was determined that Mr. Dougherty was found masturbating in his vehicle in the parking lot at the Eastview in view of the public,” the press release from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department said. The press release also listed James Dougherty’s address as “homeless.” However, he was in college in September 2025, according to a back-to-school shopping video posted on the family’s YouTube channel.
Several comments claimed that Alicia Dougherty was favoring James with the haul for his dorm room. She came under heavy criticism from followers over the years for exploiting her young children for content.
James Dougherty received an appearance ticket to return to court at a later date to face the charges of public lewdness. The family has yet to address the shocking arrest. Stay tuned for updates.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger