Working in the Berks County household around 2013, a former housekeeper and substitute nanny for the Gosselin family has come forward to corroborate allegations made by 22-year-old Collin Gosselin in his memoir, claiming she witnessed physical abuse by his mother, Kate Gosselin.
Housekeeper Backs Abuse Claims
Working as a cleaner and fill-in nanny for the family around 2013, Ashley H. observed a distinct pattern of treatment directed at Collin by Kate Gosselin. The former housekeeper described an atmosphere of strict control inside the home.
Ashley stated that the matriarch demonstrated a specific animosity toward the young boy. She very much outwardly treated Collin different,
she told People in an interview published on Friday, October 23, adding, She 110 percent abused Collin.
According to her account, the physical altercations included grabbing him repeatedly and pulling his ear.
She’d rip him right out of his chair in the kitchen.
Ashley H., former Gosselin family housekeeper
The staff rules enforced in the residence required the home to remain un-lived-in at all times,
with chores that included running a toothpick along the edges of the refrigerator, Page Six reported.
Staff members were barred from taking photographs of the children. The kids themselves were restricted to wearing just one or two school outfits per week.
Ashley worked for the family in her 20s as a house cleaner and fill-in nanny. She noted that Kate maintained a house manual outlining rules for staff members.
Among the routines observed during her employment, Ashley recalled that the children were not permitted to have toys lying around and were not allowed to do much of anything.
She described Kate’s interactions with the children as robotic rather than loving. The mother of eight made it clear which children were her favorites and which were not.
The former employee further stated that she began taking her distress home with her because she could not comprehend how someone could be so nasty and evil to their own children. She also asserted that she knew for a fact she was not the only one who reported the family.
Red Spoon Prompted Child Services Call
A specific household item ultimately prompted the former nanny to resign from her position.
While searching through a drawer, she discovered a large red plastic spoon that seemed out of place. When she asked about its purpose, one of the children allegedly told her that it was the spoon mommy uses when she gets mad,
an account Us Weekly detailed based on the interview.
That discovery solidified her decision to leave the job. Before departing, she contacted Children and Youth Services in Berks County, Pennsylvania, to report what she had witnessed and experienced.
Reflecting on her decision to speak out later, Ashley stated that she wanted to use the opportunity to back Collin and confirm that his mother subjected him to psychological abuse in addition to physical maltreatment.
She remarked that Kate treated her kids worse than animals. She noted a specific instance when someone came to pick up the family dog for grooming.
Memoir Details Years of Abuse
Released on October 13, the former housekeeper’s disclosures arrive on the heels of Collin’s memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood.
In the book, the 22-year-old details years of alleged physical abuse, including being dragged by his ear and locked into a basement bedroom, CBS2Iowa reported.
Collin also describes being sent to a facility where he spent nearly two years. He claims he received only a single visit from his mother before managing to smuggle a crayon-written letter out to his father, Jon Gosselin.
According to accounts detailed in the book, Collin eventually moved in with his father and his sister Hannah.
The reality television series initially followed Jon and Kate raising their older twins Mady and Cara alongside sextuplets Collin, Hannah, Aaden, Joel, Alexis, and Leah. The show was later renamed Kate Plus 8.
Collin noted that he has not seen most of his siblings since he was 15 years old.
Kate Gosselin Denies Allegations
Kate Gosselin has consistently denied all allegations of abuse brought against her by her son.
In a 2023 Instagram statement included in the book, she maintained that Collin had received multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years. She claimed he was placed in a facility for the safety of herself, his brothers and sisters, and for his own well-being.
Following the release of the book and the former nanny’s interview, Kate took to TikTok to defend herself against the backlash.
She wrote in a comment that spectators have no idea what it’s like having a child or relative with mental illness.
She added in another reply, I know who I am and my kids know who I truly am and to me, that’s all that matters.
Jon Gosselin has publicly defended his son against claims of mental illness. He asserted that Collin is not mentally ill and that he has grounds to sue his ex-wife over the alleged abuse of their children.
Representatives for Kate and Collin were reached for comment by media outlets following the emergence of the former housekeeper’s allegations regarding the Berks County household where the TLC reality television series was filmed.