Courtesy of Jon Gosselin/Instagram
Jon Gosselin Shares 1st Photo of Kids Hannah and Collin Since 2020 Abuse Allegations: ‘Good Luck’
Jon Gosselin shared the first photo of kids Hannah and Collin since his son accused him of physical abuse.
“First day of 11th Grade!!!!” the former Jon and Kate Plus 8 star, 44, shared via Instagram on Wednesday, August 25. “Good Luck Hannah and Collin!!! Love Dad.”
In September 2020, Collin alleged that his father “punched” and “kicked” him in a now-deleted Instagram post, prompting an investigation by the Berks County Children and Youth Services in Pennsylvania.
“My dad is a liar,” the caption allegedly read. “Yesterday he beat me up and thought nothing of it, he punched me in the face and gave me a swollen nose and I started bleeding. He then continued to kick me in the ribs after I was on the floor. He is a liar.”
At the time, Jon’s ex-wife, Kate Gosselin, who divorced Jon in 2009 after 10 years of marriage, released a statement.
“You do not punch and kick your children. You do not kick a child. I don’t want to hear any excuses from anyone, not from his father, not from local law enforcement, not from court personnel whose job is supposedly to ensure the best interests of my children,” the Kate Plus Date alum, 46, told People. “There is a child abuse law, PA 23, section 8i states that doing any of the following, regardless of whether it causes injury, is child abuse, and first on that list is kicking. Period.” She added, “Enough is enough.”
A rep for the dad of eight — who also shares estranged children Mady, Cara, Aaden, Joel, Leah and Alexis with Kate — strongly denied the allegations. “Jon has never abused Collin,” they told In Touch at the time. “No charges have been filed against him, and there’s no ongoing Children and Youth Services investigation. Collin has endured severe trauma. Jon is a loving father who has worked hard to ensure that his son gets the support and help he needs.”
In Touch reached out to Jon’s rep for an update. Per Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, child abuse investigations are confidential.
Previously, a source exclusively told In Touch the exes had taken a “lay low” approach to social media. Despite always posting on Instagram for their kids’ birthdays, they seemingly snubbed their sextuplets by not sharing a tribute in 2021.
“Some are saying it was the kids’ idea [to post less],” noted the insider. “As far as I know, it wasn’t anything specific that happened but it was mutually agreed upon.” Kate, for her part, hasn’t posted since July 2020.
“The family has been in the spotlight enough, the younger kids from the day they were born,” the insider added. “Jon and Kate know they can’t keep them off social media forever, but they don’t need to post anything about them. It’s pretty much up to the kids.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
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