Jon & Kate Plus 8's Collin Gosselin accuses his mother Kate Gosselin of zip-tying and locking him in the basement

Collin Gosselin, the 20-year-old son of reality TV stars Jon and Kate Gosselin, made serious allegations against his mother, Kate Gosselin, in a recent interview with The U.S. Sun. Collin accused Kate of physically and emotionally abusing him during his childhood, including zip-tying him and locking him in a basement room.

The allegations, which came out in an interview on Monday, portrayed a bleak picture of Collin's life which was in contrast with his family's reality show, Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Recalling the abuse, Collin Gosselin said:

“My mother had a room built in our unfinished section of the storage basement. And when my mother would put me in that room multiple times, she had zip-tied my hands and feet together and bolt locked the door, turned the lights off and had cameras there just watching me.”

He claimed that the room was known as the containment room, which had a mattress laid on the floor and had cameras installed.

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Collin Gosselin's father supports abuse allegations while Kate Gosselin denies claims

Collin Gosselin's father, Jon Gosselin, supported these claims, explaining that he did not become aware of his ex-wife's alleged actions until later. Jon, who shares eight children with Kate, stated that the room Collin described still exists in the home.

"My friends' in-laws bought our house, and they asked me why there was a room in the basement with a bed and a lock on the outside," Jon told The U.S. Sun. He added, "It must have been terrifying for Collin."

Jon and Kate were married from 1999 to 2009, with their turbulent divorce making headlines as much as their reality show. In 2018, Jon gained custody of Collin Gosselin after Kate had him institutionalized.

Collin had been diagnosed with various behavioral and psychiatric conditions at the time, but he now disputes those diagnoses, claiming his mother exaggerated or fabricated them to protect her reputation.

Kate Gosselin has not directly responded to these latest accusations. Her attorney, Richard Puleo, refuted the claims and told Page Six that Kate never intentionally harmed her son. According to Puleo, Kate acted to protect herself and her family from what he described as Collin's "troubled behavior."

This echoes Kate's earlier statements from July 2023, in which she referred to Collin Gosselin as a "very troubled young man" with a history of "unpredictable behavior and violent tendencies." One of Collin Gosselin's sisters Madelyn Gosselin also accused him of "physical violence and hate speech against the family" in an interview with People in July 2023.

However, Collin's other sister Hannah supported her brother in a 2023 interview with Vice TV. She said that Collin was frequently "separated" from the rest of his siblings, and barred from playing outside or eating dinner with them.

Collin Gosselin's institutionalization at a mental health facility in Pennsylvania in 2016 was a turning point in his life. At the time he was 11 years old. He alleged that Kate's decision to send him there was a tactic to conceal her mistreatment.

"I think that in her desperate attempt to protect herself, she placed me in this institution," Collin claimed, adding that he was "terrified" and confused by the sudden decision.

He spent 22 months at the facility, during which he said he received no formal education and was heavily medicated. Eventually, he managed to send a letter to Jon, pleading for help. Jon responded by initiating custody proceedings, and Collin went to live with his father in December 2018.

Jon told The U.S. Sun that he first found out Collin had been institutionalized via the sheriff’s office, but had no idea where he had been taken.

Jon told The U.S. Sun, "Getting that letter from Collin, was heartbreaking. Immediately I started the court proceedings to get legal custody of Collin, it was around 2017."

Collin's allegations have further complicated his already strained relationship with Kate, who has not had contact with him since his release from the institution. Collin was on track to join the Marines, but his dismissal in August 2023—due to his undisclosed psychiatric history—further fueled his frustration. He believes that Kate's public comments about his mental health contributed to his discharge.

Collin remains determined to set the record straight and hopes to re-enlist in the military, where he dreams of serving his country.