Collin Gosselin alleges childhood abuse by mother Kate Gosselin in new memoir

Collin Gosselin, who appeared on the reality series Jon & Kate Plus 8, detailed accusations of physical abuse and confinement by his mother, Kate Gosselin, in his memoir In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood. He said that at age nine his mother yanked his ear so hard it caused swelling and pain, which his teacher noticed and reported to a school counselor. The report led to a Children and Youth Services (CYS) investigation and a subsequent home visit.

"When my mom was angry, she would grab me by the ear. Sometimes it ended there. Sometimes it didn't. A snappy pull could turn into a smack to the side of my head, like a punctuation mark," the memoir states.

According to Collin, CYS workers visited the Gosselin home multiple times over the following year, but he spoke to them only once, fearing retaliation. He described being locked in a basement room for up to 70 percent of his day, monitored by cameras, and subjected to additional disciplinary actions. After an attempted escape, he says his mother called emergency services, resulting in his admission to Fairmount Behavioral Health System, where he alleges further mistreatment before being transferred to a residential facility.

Kate Gosselin has not directly responded to the specific allegations. In a 2023 Instagram post, she said that measures taken at home were implemented on the recommendation of Collin’s pediatric psychiatrist and other specialists to protect the family. Her attorney, Richard Puleo, told a UK tabloid that he does not believe his client intentionally harmed her son and that her actions were intended to protect the family.

Collin’s memoir also includes a statement from Fairmount Behavioral Health System indicating the facility does not comment on individual patients. The book is published by Grand Central Publishing.