Collin Gosselin has spoken out about the alleged abuse he experienced from his mother, Kate Gosselin. In an interview with ABC, Collin, now 22, claimed that his mother isolated him by making him sleep in a locked basement room to keep him away from his father, Jon Gosselin.
Collin revealed a concerning incident where a teacher noticed his swollen earlobe, which he said was the result of being ‘dragged’ by his ear by Kate during an abusive episode.
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Collin reported that his mom institutionalized him against his will. He recounted informing his guidance counselor after his teacher noticed the injury. After revealing his experience to school officials, he was removed from school in the fourth grade and was ‘too afraid to say anything’ when child protective services later investigated.
Collin expressed uncertainty about his life before cameras captured their family for the show ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8.’ He described his life as ‘a lie’ during the years the family was filmed.
After one escape attempt, Collin claimed Kate tied his wrists and ankles with black zip ties and locked him in the basement.
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Days before his 12th birthday, Collin alleged he was removed from the home and placed in an institution, heavily medicated with little family contact. He stated, ‘I was pumped with medication… I threatened my mom’s income and reputation.’
Kate had claimed Collin suffered from autism, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, Collin asserts an independent psychological evaluation showed he did not have these conditions.
Collin noted he wasn’t surprised by the evaluation results, stating he ‘needed it on paper.’ In an interview ahead of his memoir release, ‘In The Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood,’ Collin remembered filming crew presence from an early age and recalled the family’s transition from a small house to a larger one.
‘My life wasn’t normal,’ Collin remarked about his childhood experiences
Gosselin noted the first realization came when his parents divorced. He criticized filming aspects, such as ‘potty training,’ claiming it exploited children. Regarding orchestrated photo shoots, he recalled their distress when puppies were taken away after picture sessions.
Attempts were made to reach Kate’s representatives for comment. Kate has mostly remained silent; however, she defended herself over the summer against Collin’s claims on TikTok. She expressed frustration regarding the difficulty of proving malice and her inability to sue for defamation due to being a public figure.
She commented on one TikTok post, lamenting the challenges parents face with a ‘mentally ill child.’ Kate emphasized the gap in understanding among those who haven’t experienced similar situations.