This Is The Worst Thing Jon Gosselin Accused Kate Of Doing To Their Kids
Kate Gosselin and her family launched into TV fame through their TLC reality series, Jon & Kate Plus 8. Kate and her husband of 10 years, Jon Gosselin, had twins Cara Nicole and Madelyn "Mady" Kate in 2000. Four years later, Kate gave birth to sextuplets Aaden, Collin, Joel, Alexis, Hannah, and Leah. The show was a huge hit, but the family drama transformed the family from famous to infamous.
Kate and Jon went through a highly-publicized and highly-contentious divorce in 2009 and waged a nasty custody battle rife with horrible accusations. Jon eventually gained full custody of two of their children, and in 2019, he accused his ex-wife of abusing and neglecting their kids — particularly their son, Collin — in the name of reality TV fame.
"I know my children have suffered abuse and I know one day they're going to tell their own story," Jon told the Daily Mail. Kate has defended her parenting style, but based on the couple's ugly legal disputes, one thing is clear – there is more to this story than what audiences saw on their TV screens.
Tensions erupted when Jon and Kate Gosselin divorced
When Jon and Kate Gosselin divorced in 2009, they used the press to share their side of the big breakup. Jon told the Daily Mail that his ex was too "militant" with their kids and allegedly forced them to continue appearing on TV after Jon's departure. Jon & Kate Plus 8 became Kate Plus 8, and after the latter was canceled in 2017, she launched a spin-off dating show, Kate Plus Date, in 2019.
"Kate is not doing the shows for her family, Kate is doing it for herself. She's narcissistic and selfish. That's it. Period," Jon told the tab. "...She always speaks for the children. They say this, they want to do this — unicorns, rainbows and look, flying pigs. It's all lies. They all have voices."
Kate painted a very different picture of the family dynamic and her failed marriage to Jon. "I really would have thought he'd have been here for the long haul," she told People. "The weirdest thing is that overnight he became a different person," allegedly staying out all hours and buying big-ticket items while she was home caring for their big brood.
In 2019, a gag order that restrained Jon from speaking out against Kate was lifted and, well, he really let it rip, accusing his ex of doing something really terrible to one of their kids.
Jon claims Kate hid their son in an institution
The Daily Mail published a scathing expose in 2019 after Jon Gosselin's gag order against Kate Gosselin was lifted. According to the publication, Kate "secretly 'cag[ed]' Collin in [a] special needs institution for three years until the tween was able to message his dad begging for help." Collin was reportedly only 11 years old at the time.
Jon claimed Kate sent their son there, unbeknownst to him, because she felt Collin was "difficult" and "stubborn." While in the institution, Collin reportedly wrote a letter to Jon that was smuggled out and delivered by his roommate. Jon told the Daily Mail that Kate allegedly kept Collin's location a secret and only visited their son three times over the course of three years.
Kate reportedly did not respond to the blistering story, and she was not charged with any wrongdoing. She did talk to People about what she referred to as Collin's "special needs." She told the mag in 2016 that he was "enrolled in a program that is helping him learn the skills he needs to be the best him he can be." She said she missed him but took comfort in believing "he's where he needs to be right now..."
We'll let you be the judge and jury on this one, but let's take a look at where the eight Gosselin kids are living these days.
Where are the Gosselin kids now?
According to the Daily Mail, "a judge decided the [eight] children should decide for themselves where they want to live. At the time of this writing, Hannah and Collin (pictured above) are reportedly living with their dad and his girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, and the rest of the brood resides primarily with their mom. The two oldest, Mady and Cara, have reportedly spread their wings a bit to attend college.
Collin doesn't seem too broken up about the distance from his mother. In May 2020, the 16-year-old shared a sentimental Mother's Day post honoring his dad's girlfriend. Alongside a picture with Conrad, Collin wrote: "Yes a mother clothes her children and cooks for them, but it's the best feeling when your mother or mother figure is one of your best friends and always has your back." He called Conrad a "strong, happy, loving and awesome mother figure."
Communication among the members of the Gosselin family has reportedly remained strained. Jon told the First Class Fatherhood podcast in 2020 (per Global News) that there is "parent alienation and sibling alienation" occurring within the family and he wants "to get family therapy."
At the end of the day, here's hoping all the members of the Gosselin family are in a good place.