Kate Gosselin has responded to supporters on TikTok as her estranged son Collin promotes a memoir alleging childhood abuse. She has previously denied mistreating him.
The comments appeared beneath a video the 51-year-old posted about her dog on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Collin, 22, released In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood through Grand Central Publishing on Oct. 13.
One of the sextuplets featured on Jon & Kate Plus 8, Collin spent about two years in residential care before moving in with his father, Jon Gosselin, in 2018.
Kate Says Her Role Was Limited to Giving Consent
@kate.gosselin
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One commenter praised Kate for keeping her head up and described the allegations circulating online as lies. Kate thanked the supporter, then wrote, according to PEOPLE: “I know rational logical ppl or anyone who has dealt with mental illness understands what’s going on here :).”
She also liked a separate comment alleging that other people had influenced Collin.
Elsewhere in the thread, Kate wrote, “Exactly! I had nothing to do with it, except for consent because it was medically necessary.” She did not identify the particular decision or treatment she meant.
Her Earlier Defense Cited Doctors’ Recommendations
In a July 2023 statement to PEOPLE, Kate claimed Collin had received multiple psychiatric diagnoses and that years of outpatient treatment had proved insufficient. She said emergency room physicians decided he should be admitted after an incident she described as involving a weapon.
Kate also alleged that his behavior had endangered family members. She said measures taken inside their home followed recommendations from his pediatric psychiatrist and other specialists. Jon disputed her characterization, denying the allegations about Collin’s behavior.
Her attorney, Richard Puleo, defended her intentions in a September 2024 interview with The U.S. Sun, saying he did not believe she had deliberately harmed Collin. He said she had acted to protect herself and her family, while acknowledging that he was not a psychiatrist.
Entertainment Weekly included those earlier remarks in its memoir coverage and reported receiving no response to its latest request for comment before publication.
Collin Cites Intake Notes About a Locked Basement Room
During his Oct. 12 appearance on On Purpose with Jay Shetty, Collin presented documents he identified as Fairmount Behavioral Health System intake notes written by a registered nurse.
According to PEOPLE, he said the notes recorded Kate acknowledging that she locked him in a room and saying a psychiatrist had approved it. Collin disputed that the arrangement could have been justified.
He described a room built inside the unfinished basement, where he alleged he was confined for extended periods. He also accused his mother of restraining his wrists and ankles with zip ties after he tried to run away.
In a separate interview with ABC News’ Juju Chang, Collin connected his treatment at home to his resistance to filming the family’s television show. He said questioning the family’s public image had made him a target.
ABC News also reported his account of a 2023 independent psychological evaluation that identified no mental health diagnoses at that time.
Collin Recorded the Audiobook Himself
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In a Sept. 27 Instagram reel, Collin discussed recording his memoir and said speaking the words aloud made the process more personal. He dedicated the book to people who had endured difficult childhood experiences and described wanting to use his audience to advocate for others.
Speaking to E! News on Oct. 13, he encouraged his estranged siblings to examine the records he had gathered. He acknowledged that writing about his childhood had been difficult but described telling his story as freeing. The publisher lists the hardcover at 304 pages, with ebook and unabridged audiobook editions also available.