Kate Gosselin Claps Back at Son Collin, Claims Abuse Allegations Are Result of Mental Illness

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All this week, we’ve been reporting on Collin Gosselin’s allegations against his mom, Kate Gosselin.

Now, as expected, Kate is pushing back against her estranged son’s disturbing claims, making it clear that she has no intention of accepting his version of their troubled family history.

The former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star addressed the controversy in a TikTok comment after Collin Gosselin, 22, released his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, on Tuesday.

And while Kate didn’t offer a detailed response to the accusations, she made her feelings about her son’s claims abundantly clear.

Kate Gosselin speaks on SiriusXM's "Broadminded" radio show at SiriusXM Studio on March 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. — Kate Gosselin speaks on SiriusXM’s “Broadminded” radio show at SiriusXM Studio on March 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)

“Rational logical [people] or anyone who has dealt with mental illness understands what’s going on here,” Kate wrote in response to a supporter who defended her against Collin’s allegations (per Page Six)

The fan had described the accusations as “terrible lies” and argued that it should be illegal to defame someone in a memoir.

Kate also liked a comment suggesting Collin would eventually regret publishing his account and had been encouraged by other people to make the allegations.

“Exactly! I had nothing to do with it, except for consent because it was medically necessary,” Kate added.

Collin’s memoir paints a deeply troubling picture of his childhood, alleging that his mother subjected him to physical and emotional abuse behind the scenes of the family’s TLC reality series.

Among his most disturbing claims is that Kate kept him confined in a makeshift space in the family’s basement for approximately two years. He described the area as a “small holding cell” where he allegedly had little more than an air mattress and a pillow.

Collin also alleged that Kate sent him to a psychiatric facility in 2016, when he was 11, and recalled her allegedly telling him that he had “broke our family.”

Kate has previously denied the abuse allegations and defended her decision to seek professional treatment for her son.

In a 2023 statement, she maintained that Collin’s treatment followed years of outpatient care and was necessary for the safety and well-being of their family.

She also described him as a troubled young man who continued to need help.

Collin, however, has disputed his mother’s characterization of his mental health. In recent interviews promoting his memoir, he has discussed his experiences growing up in the spotlight and his belief that his refusal to participate in the family’s reality show contributed to the conflict at home.

The family became famous in 2007 with Jon & Kate Plus 8, which followed Kate and then-husband Jon Gosselin as they raised their twin daughters and sextuplets.

The couple divorced in 2009, and their family life continued on television with Kate Plus 8.

Jon eventually gained custody of Collin and daughter Hannah in 2018, while the other children remained with Kate.

Collin has since become estranged from most of his siblings, although he emphasized in his memoir that he still loves them.

For now, the bitter divide between mother and son remains unresolved. With Collin sharing his account in print and Kate continuing to reject his allegations, the Gosselin family’s long-running troubles are once again playing out in public.