OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
11:15 AM – Tuesday, February 20, 2024
A Utah district judge sentenced former family Youtube vlogger Ruby Franke to four one-to-15 year terms in prison, putting an end to the months-long child abuse lawsuit filed against the mother of six.
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Ruby Franke, a mom who had gained online popularity for her parenting advice on the YouTube channel “8 Passengers” was charged, along with her business partner, for assaulting her children both “physically and mentally.”
A Utah court will set the exact prison sentences for the two on Tuesday. The amount of time Franke is imprisoned will also be decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
Franke and mental health counselor Jodi Hildebrandt had attempted to persuade Franke’s two youngest children that they were evil, possessed, and in need of punishment.
As a result, this led to their guilty pleas to the four counts of aggravated child abuse, which allowed them to speak for the first time at their consecutive sentencing hearings in southern Utah. Both women entered into plea deals with Judge John J. Walton, in which they received their prison terms and were provided with a detailed account of their offenses.
During the sentencing hearing, Franke broke down in tears and apologized to her children, the audio was streamed live on Utah Court’s website.
“I … believed dark was light and right was wrong,” Franke said. “I would do anything in this world for you. I took from you all that was soft, and safe, and good.”
Franke also acknowledged Judge John Walton and the courtroom.
“For the past four years, I’ve chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion,” she said. “My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate myself from anyone who challenged me.”
Hildebrandt, Franke’s business partner, is anticipated to receive a term as well. In December 2023, after being charged with six charges of felony child abuse, the two women entered a guilty plea to four counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse.
In August 2023, police initially discovered that one of Franke’s sons was malnourished with open wounds as well as restrained with duct tape. This led to the arrest of both Franke and Hildebrandt.
Franke’s son had escaped and made his way from Hildebrandt’s residence to a neighbor’s house, pleading for food and water. In Hildebrandt’s house, one of Franke’s daughters was also similarly discovered in a state of malnutrition.
Franke faced major criticism after posting recordings of herself threatening to throw away her children’s valuable belongings and refusing to give her then-6-year-old daughter lunch when the child had forgotten to pack food for herself.
Franke is nowhere near an A-list celebrity, however, her case has attracted much media attention. Online commenters expressed their opinions on the matter, saying that it has contributed to bringing back interest regarding the negative aspects of family vlogging channels.
Franke gained notoriety on YouTube with her now-vanished channel “8 Passengers,” which had 2.3 million subscribers on the video platform. Additionally, Franke and Hildebrandt frequently worked together on controversial parenting and relationship advice videos. Due to Frankes’ harsh parenting style, some viewers had already reported them to the police.
Since her arrest, Franke has been detained without being allowed to post bond. According to the law firm defending her, in December 2023, Franke stated that she is attempting “personal growth and rehabilitation” by reaching out to and making amends with her family.
Furthermore, Franke’s attorneys said that over a long period of time, Hildebrandt “systematically isolated” Franke from her family, which led to Franke becoming influenced by Hildebrandt and developing a “distorted sense of morality.”
In addition, Ruby’s husband, Kevin Franke, filed for divorce in November 2023. In September, his lawyer, Randy Kester, explained to media outlets that the pair had been split up for 13 months “at Ruby’s directive.”
At the time of the divorce petition, Ruby’s attorneys noted that while she was “devastated” by the news, she appreciated Kevin’s decision and understood his reasoning. The statement also highlighted that she was willing to give her “full cooperation” to try to reunite their children with their father.
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