Ruby Frankie (right) and Jody Hildebrand arrested on suspicion of child abuse. yunhap news
A popular American parenting YouTuber who once had more than 2 million subscribers admitted to charges of abusing her children.
According to foreign media such as CBS on the 18th (local time), Ruby Franke, who ran a parenting YouTube channel called ‘8passengers’ until early this year, appeared at the St. George District Court in Utah and pleaded guilty to a total of six cases filed against her. He admitted to four of the child abuse charges.
According to the petition submitted to the court, from May to August of last year, Franke forced her 12-year-old son to do physical labor, such as carrying boxes full of books up and down the stairs. In the summer, he repeatedly left them in the hot sun without watering them, causing them to suffer severe burns. He also kept her isolated from others, withheld food, and denied her access to books or electronics.
When the son, who could not endure the abuse, attempted to run away from home last July, his hands and feet were tied with rope and handcuffs, which resulted in injuries to his wrists and ankles.
Franke is also known to have physically abused his 9-year-old daughter, including forcing her to work outside without sufficient food and water and making her run barefoot on dirt roads.
Franke’s abuse was revealed last August when a neighbor reported Franke to the police after receiving a rescue request from his 12-year-old son. At the time, the son was imprisoned in the home of Hildebrand, Franke’s business partner. He escaped through a window and asked a neighbor for water and food, and upon examination, it was determined that he was malnourished.
The police who responded to the report found Franke’s 10-year-old daughter, who was also malnourished, at Hildebrand’s house.
Franke raised six children in Utah, USA, and has been giving parenting advice through her YouTube channel. The channel operated by Franke was very popular with about 2.3 million subscribers, but disappeared for unknown reasons early this year.
On her YouTube channel, Franke was criticized for her extreme and strict parenting style, including keeping her eldest son out of his bedroom for seven months because he played a prank on his younger brother.
Franke’s partner, Hildebrand, was also tried on charges of child abuse. Franke’s lawyer, Winward Law, said in her statement that Franke was by nature a “devoted mother” and that her co-defendant said that after meeting Hildebrand, she developed “distorted morals” and that she was unable to protect her children. He claimed that he began abusing her.
Franke pleaded guilty in court, saying, “I have deep regret and sorrow for my family and children.”
On the other hand, Frankie’s eldest daughter said on social media the day her mother was arrested, “I am very happy that justice has been served.”
Currently, four of the six children are minors and are under the protection of the authorities, and Franke’s sentencing is scheduled to be handed down in February next year.
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2023-12-20 04:51:00