'Welcome to Plathville': Does Kim tell the truth about Joshua's death to her little children?

It was the fall of 2008 and Kim was pregnant with their eighth child when the tragedy took place, which she described as hell on earth for the longest time
Kim (TLC)
Kim (TLC)

The Plath family functions on a different level. They live a secluded life and pride themselves on having a completely unique order of living. In addition to this, they have suffered tragedies, some of which they have openly shared. One such incident happens to be the death of their son Joshua, who died in an accident when he was 15 months old. It's been 12 years since he has been gone but the parents — Kim and Barry — still remember him and shed a tear or two.

In this week's episode of 'Welcome to Plathville', the conversation about Joshua comes up again. The little ones — Amber, 11; Cassia, 9, and Mercy, 7 — ask Kim how their brother Joshua died. Kim, in the preview clip, tells the children that "if there was one moment in my life that I could live over and redo, that was it." At this point, it cannot be said if she told them the real reason why their brother wasn't around yet. It could be because they are too young to handle the truth.  

Kim, on the Plath family website, shared that she had accidentally run over her son while planting trees. It was the fall of 2008, she wrote, and added that she was pregnant with their eighth child when planting fruit trees.

"I looked for our 17-month old Joshua, saw that he was away from the vehicle, then pulled forward to get the next tree. In a panic, I realized what had happened. I ran over our Joshua," she recalled in her note.  

She continued that she would have been a lot harsher if it would have been Barry in her place. For the longest time, it was "hell on Earth" for her and even though she woke up every morning hoping to function through the day, she would want to die. 

Kim and Barry have a quiet chat in the woods about Joshua and how everyone in the family should go to the cemetery together. The couple is probably looking for closure or maybe they just want each other to remember him fondly. 

Catch all the new episodes of 'Welcome to Plathville' on TLC every Tuesday at 10/9c. For more information, check your local listings. 

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 episode 7 quietly references Nettles, the missing ‘Fire & Blood’ character whose story changed in the HBO series.
3 hours ago
Alan Ritchson is set to lead a heist thriller described as ‘Fast & Furious’, but with motorcycles.
4 hours ago
In the Season 14 finale, Dom Pascal returned to speak to Kelly Severide about the future of his career
7 hours ago
Cole Hauser opens up about battling heat and ice storms while filming ‘Dutton Ranch’ Season 1
7 hours ago
‘Chicago Fire’ Season 15 will welcome a doctor, possibly to deal with the repercussions of the Season 14 finale.
8 hours ago
‘Ted Lasso’ is finally set to return with Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, and others playing pivotal roles in Season 4
9 hours ago
Warner Bros. delays Taylor Sheridan’s big-screen venture by a month to avoid competition.
10 hours ago
‘Superman’s’ untitled HBO Max spinoff has finally cast its female lead opposite Skyler Gisondo
10 hours ago
Ryan Hurst was initially cast for the role in January 2026, but suffered a torn bicep while filming for the series
12 hours ago
Helaena’s visions connect her children, Dreamfyre and the Dragonpit to the deaths still ahead, with many fans left wondering about her fate.
23 hours ago