Earlier this month, Collin Gosselin released a memoir, detailing secret details of his life and his time living with his estranged mother, Kate. Since then, a figure who once worked for the family has since shared their side of the story. In addition, the figure opened up about what inspired them to leave their job.
Collin Gosselin’s Memoir, In the Shadow of Eight, Was Released On October 13, 2026
Collin and his family were introduced to audiences through the reality series, Jon & Kate Plus 8. In 2016, at the age of 11, he was institutionalized by his mother, Kate, where he stayed for over 20 months. In 2018, his father Jon later obtained full physical and legal custody of him.
Recently, Collin released a tell-all memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood. Around this time, he has also made media appearances promoting the book, such as an appearance on The View.
Since then, one figure has spoken out on Collin’s behalf. Ashley H., a figure who was said to be a former house cleaner and part-time nanny for the Gosselin family, shared that she was hired by the family through an anonymous post.
Ashley H. shared, “She didn’t say who she was [in the post], just that the nanny could live on the estate, and you could tell she was very, very wealthy. So, I met her at Starbucks, and she showed up in her sports car.”
Ashley H. Described Stories Concerning Collin & The Kids At Large
When she got to their Pennsylvania home, Ashley recalled, “I used to think, like, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to have this someday.’” However, she added, “I promised my house would never look unlived-in like Kate’s.”
Ashley also claimed that the reality on the show was different than in real life. In light of Collin’s claims, she shared, “She very much outwardly treated Collin different.”
Ashley continued, “She 110 percent abused Collin. It’s hard to almost put into words the specific hate that she had towards Collin. You could just feel it. I saw her grab Collin many, many times.”
According to Ashley, the house was meant to look “unlived-in at all times.” She also claimed that, “She wouldn’t let the kids do anything. There was never toys out. There was never things out. They couldn’t live.”
Ashley Also Recounted Contacting Children & Youth Services For Berks County Over Kate
The kids were reportedly “either one or two school outfits per week because it would cause too much laundry.” Describing the interactions between the mother and children as “robotic,” Ashley felt, “It was not loving. She very much made it known who was a favorite, who wasn’t, who’s annoying. Someone would come and pick the dog up for grooming, but she treated her kids basically worse than animals.”
Ashley also noted an incident that convinced her to leave the job: a big, red spoon. She shared that one of the kids told her, “‘Oh, that’s the spoon mommy uses when she gets mad.’” She added, “That red spoon has haunted me for a long time.”
Former Gosselin Family Housekeeper and Nanny Claims She Saw Kate Abuse Collin and Reported It (Exclusive) https://t.co/Y0szZriNyN
— People (@people) October 23, 2026
Ashley shared that she contacted Children and Youth Services for Berks County over Kate. Regarding Collin’s book, he once noted a time when CYS investigated after he showed up in pain after his mother yanked his ear. Ashley claimed, “She did all the time. All the time. She’d rip him right out of his chair in the kitchen.” Ultimately, Ashley shared the hope that sharing her side of the story would inspire others to speak out about similar situations in their own lives.
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.