Parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke and Business Partner Face Child Abuse Charges in Court
A Utah Mother of Six Faces Charges of Child Abuse
A Utah mother of six who gained popularity through her YouTube channel “8 Passengers” is now facing serious charges. Ruby Franke, known for giving parenting advice, and Jodi Hildebrandt, the owner of a relationship counseling business, have been accused of abusing and starving Franke’s two young children.
The charges against Franke and Hildebrandt include six felony counts of aggravated child abuse. They were arrested on August 30th at Hildebrandt’s residence in Ivins, Utah. A virtual court appearance is scheduled for today.
The incident came to light when Franke’s 12-year-old son managed to escape the house and sought help from a neighbor, who then called the police. The 911 call, released by the St. George Police Department, revealed the distressing situation.
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The boy was found emaciated with duct tape around his ankles and wrists, but he did not disclose the reason for his condition. The caller, his voice breaking up, expressed concern for the child’s well-being.
During the call, the boy mentioned that he didn’t know the whereabouts of his mother and that his father was not in the area. He also revealed that his two siblings, aged 10 and 14, were still at Hildebrandt’s house.
While waiting for the authorities to arrive, the caller expressed fear that Hildebrandt might come looking for the boy.
Prosecutors allege that Franke and Hildebrandt either directly caused or allowed someone to torture Franke’s son and harm her daughter. The children were subjected to starvation and emotional abuse. The reason for their presence at Hildebrandt’s home remains unclear.
The 12- and 10-year-old victims were taken to the hospital, and along with two other children of Franke, were placed under the custody of child protective services.
Both Franke, 41, and Hildebrandt, 54, have been held without bail since their arrests.
Attorneys representing Franke and Hildebrandt did not respond to requests for comment.
Franke gained attention for sharing her family’s life on their video blog. However, she and her husband faced criticism for their controversial parenting decisions, which included punishing their oldest son by banning him from his bedroom for seven months. In one video, Franke talked about refusing to bring lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home. Another video showed her threatening to cut the head off a young girl’s stuffed toy as a form of punishment.
In another video, Franke discussed how she and her husband decided not to give their two youngest children presents from Santa Claus due to their perceived selfishness and lack of response to punishment.
Concerned critics started an online petition urging child protective services to intervene. Franke’s oldest daughter, Sherri Franke, took action as well.
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