Benjamin Ashford|Kate Gosselin Says Son Collin Has “Multiple Psychiatric Diagnoses” in Response to Estrangement Allegation

Kate Gosselin has broken her silence after her son Collin suggested she was behind his estrangement from several of his siblings.

The Benjamin Ashfordformer Jon & Kate Plus 8 star pushed back in a lengthy social media message in which she alleges Collin has a history of violent behavior towards members of his family.

"I have never wanted to have to do this, but I feel I have been backed into a corner and left with no choice. Although it saddens me to do so, I need to speak out now," Kate wrote on Instagram July 21. "My son Collin, whom I love with all my heart, has received multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years. For the safety of myself, his brothers and sisters and for his own well-being, he was placed in a facility following years of outpatient treatment which proved insufficient for his needs."

Kate, who is mom to 19-year-old sextuplets Collin, Hannah, Alexis, Aaden, Leah and Joel as well as 22-year-old twins Mady and Cara with ex-husband Jon Gosselin, further suggested that Collin's behavior has not improved since his placement in a health facility in 2016. (Collin, as well as sister Hannah, have lived with Jon since 2018.) 

"Following Jon's removal of Collin from treatment, my son's unpredictable and violent behavior has sadly continued regularly towards Jon, Hannah and others around him," her statement continued. "Collin's distorted perception of reality is one of the many issues that he has always struggled with."

Kate—whose family life was documented on the TLC series from 2007 to 2017—added, "As many people who have family members grappling with mental health issues can attest, it is rarely and sadly surprising when complete fabrications occur, and this is just another heartbreaking facet of this fight."

And although the 48-year-old acknowledged how complex parent-child relationships can be, she denied any wrongdoing, adding, that is hard for others to understand situations where mental illness is involved. 

"All measures that were taken in our home were at the explicit recommendation of his pediatric psychiatrist and/or his team of specialists," the former reality star said, "and were put into place to safeguard every member of our family, our friends as well as our family pets."

And as it turns out, Kate doesn't believe things have changed since her last interaction with Collin.

"Unfortunately, I believe Collin remains a very troubled young man who continues to need a lot of help," she concluded her statement. "His brothers and sisters and I have not been directly involved in his life due to his history of unpredictable behavior and violent tendencies towards us."

"I think my mom kind of drove a social barrier between us," he said July 19 in the "Jon & Kate: Family Circus" episode of Vice TV's Dark Side of the 2000s, per Page Six. "She told them the story one way, and, obviously, I see the story a different way."

Looking back at his own behavior, Collin maintained that while he wasn't a "perfect child," his "misbehaving was no different than from my siblings."  

And when it comes to possibly reconciling with his siblings in future years, Collin would happily oblige.

"I really, really hope one day that we can all reconnect and put the show behind us and just be siblings again," the recent high school grad continued, "and take back that time we didn't have."

In the same episode of Dark Side of the 2000s, Jon spoke on his own relationships with Mady, Cara, Alexis, Aaden, Leah and Joel, all of whom Kate had custody of following their 2009 divorce.

"I have no access to the kids I'm estranged from," he admitted. "I have no idea why they stopped coming. I have no answers. Like, none. It's the worst."

However, Kate isn't the only family member to weigh in on the statements made in the documentary. Following the episode's air, Mady slammed Collin for his comments about their family.  

"I do not owe my allegiance to any person(s) who has physically threatened me and every member of my immediate family (some incidents as recent as last year)," she wrote in part on her Instagram Stories July 20, per People. "Further, I will never allow someone who has exhibited hateful and even violent behavior toward others based on their racial identity, gender identity, or religious beliefs to be in my life."

​​In response to his daughter's statement, Jon told People, "It took courage for Collin to sit down and speak about his past and the last thing I would have expected was more abuse to come his way from a sibling that hasn't seen or spoken to him since he was in sixth grade."

E! News has reached out to the manager who reps Jon as well as the manager who reps Kate, Collin, Hannah and Mady for comment but hasn't heard back.