YouTube Influencer Sentenced to Prison for Child Abuse: Utah Mother’s Harsh Parenting Methods Exposed
A shocking case of child abuse has rocked the YouTube community, as a popular influencer, Ruby Franke, has been sentenced to prison for at least four years. The Utah mother, known for her harsh parenting advice, tearfully apologized in court as she learned her fate. She pleaded guilty to starving and abusing her children, and her former business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, also received an identical sentence.
The judge handed down four terms of one to 15 years each, with the sentences running consecutively. This is the maximum punishment for each count under Utah law, and the actual time served will be determined by the state’s parole board. Franke will have 30 days to appeal the decision.
During the court proceedings, Utah prosecutor Eric Clarke described the appalling conditions in which Franke’s children lived. He referred to their home as a “concentration camp-like setting” and labeled Franke as a significant threat to the community. Clarke stated that the children were regularly denied basic necessities such as food, water, beds, and entertainment.
Following the sentencing, Franke expressed deep remorse and apologized to her children. She admitted to being disoriented and believing that what she was doing was right. Franke said, “I was led to believe that this world was an evil place, filled with cops who control, hospitals that injure, government agencies that brainwash, church leaders who lie and lust, husbands who refuse to protect and children who need abuse.”
The shocking case came to light in August 2023 when Franke’s malnourished 12-year-old son managed to escape from Hildebrandt’s house in Ivins, Utah. The child sought help from a neighbor and asked for food and water. He had visible lacerations from being tied up with rope, according to police records.
Prior to her arrest, Franke had built a substantial online following through her YouTube channel, 8 Passengers. Starting in 2015, she garnered over two million subscribers by sharing her family’s day-to-day activities. The channel showcased a typical Mormon suburban family engaged in homeschooling, cooking, eating, and spending time together. Franke claimed that the videos helped her “live in the present and just enjoy the kids.”
However, viewers began to grow suspicious in 2020 when one of Franke’s sons mentioned being forced to sleep on a bean bag for several months. Concerned individuals delved into her past videos and uncovered other disturbing methods employed by Franke, such as withholding food, making threats, and even canceling Christmas as a form of punishment.
The mounting criticism led to a petition demanding an investigation, which gained thousands of signatures. Utah’s child protection agency was alerted but took no immediate legal action against Franke. Initially, Franke and her husband dismissed the allegations, claiming that certain clips were taken out of context. However, as the channel’s popularity declined, it was eventually deleted in 2022, coinciding with Franke’s separation from her husband.
In the aftermath, Franke started appearing in YouTube videos posted by Jodi Hildebrandt on her channel, ConneXions Classroom. Hildebrandt, a counselor and life coach, became Franke’s business partner and continued to share content featuring Franke. Unfortunately, behind closed doors, Franke’s children endured even more severe abuse. They were tied up, beaten, kicked, neglected, and subjected to grueling outdoor work without proper protection from the sun.
As part of a plea agreement, Hildebrandt admitted either participating in the torture or being aware of the abuse. She confessed to forcing one of Franke’s daughters to “jump into a cactus multiple times.” Franke, on the other hand, convinced her children that they were “evil and possessed” and needed to “repent.”
The children’s father, Kevin Franke, expressed his horror at the abuse they endured and called for the maximum sentence to be imposed. He described the treatment as “horrific and inhumane.”
The case of Ruby Franke has shed light on the dark side of the YouTube influencer world. It serves as a reminder that behind the curated online personas may lie a reality far more sinister. The sentencing of Franke and Hildebrandt sends a strong message that child abuse will not be tolerated, even when disguised as parenting advice. The hope is that this case will prompt closer scrutiny of influencers and ensure the protection of vulnerable children.
