Ruby Frank update: TikTokers crash virtual court hearing before YouTube influencer held in jail

YouTube parenting influncer Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.

Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September. Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail, but the reasons for her move are unclear.

Over 1,000 people tuned into the hearing and after a cacophony of bizarre noises and pleas to be quiet, the court shut down public access. It transpired later the Zoom link had been shared on TikTok.

The pair were arrested on 30 August after Ms Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed out of a window and pleaded for neighbors to give him food and water, court documents showed.

After a neighbor noticed that duct tape covering the boy’s ankles and wrists, prompting the neighbor to notify law enforcement. In a chilling 911 call, the neighbor can be heard describing the boy: “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”

Key points

• YouTube influencer and mother of six charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse

• Ruby Franke will appear in court on Friday alongside business partner Jodi Hildebrandt

• Arrests were made after 12-year-old child escaped house and begged neighbour for food and water

• In shocking 911 call the neighbour describes child as bound in duct tape and “covered in wounds"

Utah influencer mom and business partner to appear in court today

Friday 8 September 2023 17:36 , Oliver O'Connell

A Utah mother of six who gave parenting advice via a once-popular YouTube channel called “8 Passengers” is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Friday on charges that she and the owner of a relationship counselling business abused and starved her two young children.

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse after their arrests on 30 August at Ms Hildebrandt’s house in the southern Utah city of Ivins. They are scheduled to appear at a brief, virtual hearing later Friday.

Friday 8 September 2023 17:42 , Oliver O'Connell

Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped the house that morning and asked a neighbour to call the police, according to the 911 call released by the St George Police Department.

The boy was emaciated and had duct tape around his ankles and wrists, but wouldn’t say why, the caller reported.

“I think he’s been ... he’s been detained,” the caller said, his voice breaking up. “He’s obviously covered in wounds.”

As the dispatcher was asking questions, the boy said he didn’t know where his mom was and that his dad was not in the area. The boy said two siblings, ages 10 and 14, were still at Hildebrandt’s house.

“He says everything’s fine with them,” the caller told the dispatcher. “He says what’s happened to him is his fault.”

While waiting for police and paramedics, the caller expressed concern that Hildebrandt may come looking for the boy.

Friday 8 September 2023 17:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors allege the women either caused or allowed someone to torture Franke’s son and injure her 10-year-old daughter. Both children were starved and harmed emotionally, court records said. It’s unclear why the children were at Hildebrandt’s home.

The 12- and 10-year-old were taken to the hospital, police said. They along with two other of Franke’s children were taken into the custody of child protective services.

Full story: Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

Friday 8 September 2023 18:02 , Kelly Rissman

Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

What was Ruby Franke’s parenting blog about?

Friday 8 September 2023 18:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Ruby Franke was known for sharing her family’s life on their video blog.

She and her husband received criticism over their parenting decisions, including banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother. In one video, Ruby Franke talked about refusing to take lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home. Another showed her threatening to cut the head off a young girl’s stuffed toy to punish her for cutting things in the house.

In one video, Franke said she and her husband told their two youngest children that they would not be getting presents from Santa Claus because they had been selfish and weren’t responding to punishment like being kept home from school and cleaning the floorboards.

“It’s because they’re so numb, and the more numb your child is, the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up,” Franke said in a video.

The blog had 2.3 million followers before it was deleted in 2022.

Was there any outcry about the video blog?

Friday 8 September 2023 18:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Yes.

Some critics started an online petition asking child protective services to get involved. The Franke’s oldest daughter, Sherri Franke, cut ties with her parents, she has said in social media posts. The YouTube channel, which was started in 2015, ended after seven years.

Police records from Springville, Utah — where the Franke family lived — show Sherri Franke called police on Sept. 18, 2022, to report her brothers and sisters had been left home alone for days. Police also spoke with neighbours, but were unable to contact the children. A report was made to Child and Family Services, according to the police report.

What are Franke and Hildebrandt accused of?

Friday 8 September 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Ruby Franke and Hildebrandt are accused of causing or permitting serious injury to the two hospitalised children aged 10 and 12 in three different ways, according to a news release from the Washington County attorney’s office as reported in The Salt Lake City Tribune.

They are said to have harmed the children through a combination of physical injuries or torture; starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life; and by causing severe emotional harm.

Those three alleged forms of abuse, for each of the two children, amounted to the six aggravated child abuse counts that Ms Franke and Ms Hildebrandt each face.

Each count carries a sentence of 1-15 years in prison, and a fine up to $10,000, according to the release.

Ruby Franke appeared in court on Thursday too — what happened?

Friday 8 September 2023 19:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Ruby Franke made an earlier court appearance on Thursday at a shelter hearing for her four minor children to determine custody, The Daily Mail reports.

The former influencer sobbed in court and made shocking claims that one of her minor children sexually abused a sibling and molested other family members and children in the neighbourhood — though she provided no evidence to back up the allegations.

Judge Suchada Bazzelle presided over the hearing. Ms Franke’s husband, Kevin, was present with his attorney and the outlet reports that the couple’s two eldest daughters were also there with their own legal representation.

The judge said the alleged abusive child would need to be placed in a home with no other children.

The Mail reports that an attorney in the public gallery stood up and asked the judge to hear details of the molestation of another child as its mother was present.

Judge Bazzelle denied the request and said the details could be heard at another time.

The next hearing is a 15 September mediation hearing and an 18 September pre-trial hearing.

If Ms Franke is released from jail, she will need to attend the hearings in person and if not, the court will have to make accommodations for transportation.

Charging documents reveal son’s chilling escape that led to child abuse arrest

Friday 8 September 2023 19:25 , Kelly Rissman

Court documents supporting six felony child abuse charges against YouTube influencer Ruby Franke have revealed how her son’s dramatic escape from the family’s home led to her arrest.

Ruby Franke court documents reveal son’s escape that led to child abuse charges

Ruby Franke’s neighbors feared police would pull ‘body bags’ from her home

Friday 8 September 2023 19:45 , Graig Graziosi

The neighbors of recently-arrested YouTube family vlogger Ruby Franke were reportedly not surprised to see her Utah home swarmed by police. Some were just happy that the authorities weren’t pulling bodies from the house.

“Everyone is just breathing a collective sigh of relief because we thought they were going to come out of that house with body bags,” one of her neighbors told NBC News.

Mommy blogger Ruby Franke’s neighbors feared police would pull ‘body bags’ from home

Watch: MSNBC breaks down the escape that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest

Friday 8 September 2023 19:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Who is Ruby Franke?

Friday 8 September 2023 20:15 , Amber Raiken

Ruby Franke, who once operated her own YouTube channel about the lives of her six children, has been placed under arrest on charges related to child abuse.

Franke first made headlines back in 2015 for her controversial parenting advice that she shared on the YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” which featured her husband Kevin Franke and their children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.

Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger

Court appearance to get underway shortly

Friday 8 September 2023 20:38 , Oliver O'Connell

A live stream of the virtual hearing in the case of Utah v Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt is getting underway shortly.

They are charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse.

A large number of members of the public have logged into the hearing via Zoom and it is being streamed on various platforms.

Parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke and partner due in court on child abuse charges

Friday 8 September 2023 20:43 , Oliver O'Connell

As more of the public join the Zoom call with the hearing yet to begin, social media users are claiming to have spotted Chad Franke, Ruby’s eldest son on the grid of pictures of people logged on.

Tech issues appear to mar Ruby Franke court hearing

Friday 8 September 2023 20:58 , Oliver O'Connell

With more than 1,000 people joining the public Zoom call to witness the Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt court hearing, there appear to be technical difficulties...

Court kicks public out of Zoom meeting

Friday 8 September 2023 21:04 , Oliver O'Connell

Law & Crime’s Cathy Russon reports that the court has kicked everyone out of the hearing and will try again.

Full Story: Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges is derailed by tech issues as over 1,000 people join

Friday 8 September 2023 21:16 , Kelly Rissman

YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, are supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding has yet to officially begin as tech issues have plagued the virtual hearing.

Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges is derailed by tech issues

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt held without bail

Friday 8 September 2023 21:29 , Oliver O'Connell

A judge has ruled that Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt will be held without bail. Their bond hearing is set for 9am on 21 September.

Ms Franke has been moved to the medical unit of the jail but it is not known why, Cathy Russon of Law & Crime reports.

ICYMI: Ruby Franke’s sisters speak out

Friday 8 September 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After the Utah Youtuber Ruby Franke — who offered parenting advice — was arrested on child abuse charges, Ms Franke’s sisters spoke out on social media, explaining they had their own concerns about her children behind the scenes.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Ruby Franke’s sisters speak out after influencer’s arrest for child abuse

Ruby Franke held without bail as virtual court hearing on child abuse charges derailed by tech issues

Friday 8 September 2023 22:45 , Kelly Rissman

YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.

Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September. Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail, but the reasons for her move are unclear.

Read more...

Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges is derailed by tech issues

Ruby Franke’s neighbors feared police would pull ‘body bags’ from her home

Saturday 9 September 2023 00:45 , Graig Graziosi

The neighbors of recently-arrested YouTube family vlogger Ruby Franke were reportedly not surprised to see her Utah home swarmed by police. Some were just happy that the authorities weren’t pulling bodies from the house.

“Everyone is just breathing a collective sigh of relief because we thought they were going to come out of that house with body bags,” one of her neighbors told NBC News.

Mommy blogger Ruby Franke’s neighbors feared police would pull ‘body bags’ from home

Ruby Franke charging documents reveal son’s chilling escape

Saturday 9 September 2023 02:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Court documents supporting six felony child abuse charges against YouTube influencer Ruby Franke have revealed how her son’s dramatic escape from the family’s home led to her arrest.

According to an affidavit obtained by KUTV, a child in the care of Ms Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, who is also facing charges, “climbed out of the window of an Ivins residence belonging to Jodi Hildebrandt and ran to a neighbour’s home” on 30 August.

Ruby Franke court documents reveal son’s escape that led to child abuse charges

Who is Ruby Franke?

Saturday 9 September 2023 05:45 , Amber Raiken

Ruby Franke, who once operated her own YouTube channel about the lives of her six children, has been placed under arrest on charges related to child abuse.

Franke first made headlines back in 2015 for her controversial parenting advice that she shared on the YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” which featured her husband Kevin Franke and their children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve. The now-deleted channel was once popular, having accumulated more than two million subscribers before speculation and concern began to mount in 2020 about the family’s daily activities.

Two years later, the Utah-based mother went on to announce that she was joining a new YouTube channel called ConneXions - which has since been deleted - alongside Jodi Nan Hildebrandt. The pair also sparked controversy with their videos, including one in which they made claims about what loving children unconditionally means.

Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger

Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges crashed as link shared on TikTok

Saturday 9 September 2023 08:45 , Kelly Rissman

YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.

Ruby Franke court documents reveal son’s escape that led to child abuse charges

Ruby Franke gained millions of subscribers to her parental advice YouTube. Now she’s accused of child abuse

Saturday 9 September 2023 11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

YouTuber Ruby Franke used to offer parental advice. Now she’s accused of child abuse

Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

Saturday 9 September 2023 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A newly released 911 call reveals the chilling details of the incident that led to Youtube influencer Ruby Franke’s arrest, when her 12-year-old child sought food and water from a neighbour.

Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges crashed as link shared on TikTok

Saturday 9 September 2023 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.

Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges is derailed by tech issues

Ruby Franke’s sisters speak out

Saturday 9 September 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After the Utah Youtuber Ruby Franke — who offered parenting advice — was arrested on child abuse charges, Ms Franke’s sisters spoke out on social media, explaining they had their own concerns about her children behind the scenes.

Although the video has since been taken down, on Friday, Ms Franke’s sister Bonnie Hoellein posted a segment on YouTube called “My Statement on My Sister Ruby Franke.”

Ruby Franke’s sisters speak out after influencer’s arrest for child abuse

Who is Ruby Franke’s business partner Jodi Hildebrandt?

Saturday 9 September 2023 18:30 , Andrea Cavallier

Jodi Hildebrandt is an author, life coach, and the founder of the ConneXions Classroom, according to her website jodihildebrandt.com.

Ms Hildebrandt was arrested on 30 August after her business partner Ruby Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed out of a window and pleaded for neighbors to give him food and water, court documents showed.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, police determined that Ms Franke’s two kids had been staying with Ms Hildebrandt, but it’s unclear for how long they had been there.

The 54-year-old is based in American Fork, Utah. She has worked as a therapist and educator for ConneXions since January 2007, her LinkedIn page reads.

ConneXions Classroom offers counseling courses with curriculum that is “strongly based on her five years of experience working at Cirque Lodge, a drug rehabilitation center that focuses on treating addiction.”

Ms Hildebrandt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Brigham Young University in 1996. She received her master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Utah in 2003.

Ruby Franke’s daughter, neighbors previously reported child welfare concerns to police

Saturday 9 September 2023 20:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke, who once operated her own YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” about the lives of her six children, has been placed under arrest on charges related to child abuse.

But it’s not the first time police have responded to her Springville home.

Police responded to the home at least twice last year after receiving reports over concerns for the welfare of the children, police records obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune show.

The most recent check was on 18 September 2022, when her daughter Shari Franke reported to the police that her sisters and brother had been left home alone for five days while her mother visited a friend in St. George.

Read more…

Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger

Ruby Franke’s business partner experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue while in jail

Saturday 9 September 2023 23:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Jodi Hildebrandt experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue while at the Washington County Jail and had to be hospitalised The Salt Lake Tribune reported citing new court documents.

LaMar Winward, the lawyer for Ms Hildebrandt’s business partner Ruby Franke filed a motion requesting a special setting to discuss Hildebrandt’s detention status because of her medical issue.

The lawyer also filed a motion requesting an expedited detention hearing for both women since “it is believed both cases should be heard at the same time.”

KUTV reported that Franke was suffering from medical issues and that she was moved into a medical block at the same jail.

Further details of their medical issues are unclear.

Their hearing was set on Friday for 21 September 21. But Franke’s lawyer filed a motion to move the date until after 5 October.

What was Ruby Franke’s blog 8 Passengers?

Sunday 10 September 2023 01:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke was known for sharing her family’s life on their video blog “8 Passengers.”

She and her husband received criticism over their parenting decisions, including banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother.

In one video, Ruby Franke talked about refusing to take lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home. Another showed her threatening to cut the head off a young girl’s stuffed toy to punish her for cutting things in the house.

In one video, Franke said she and her husband told their two youngest children that they would not be getting presents from Santa Claus because they had been selfish and weren’t responding to punishment like being kept home from school and cleaning the floorboards.

“It’s because they’re so numb, and the more numb your child is, the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up,” Franke said in a video.

The blog had 2.3 million followers before it was deleted in 2022.

What are Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt accused of?

Sunday 10 September 2023 03:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt are accused of causing or permitting serious injury to the two hospitalised children aged 10 and 12 in three different ways, according to a news release from the Washington County attorney’s office as reported in The Salt Lake City Tribune.

They are said to have harmed the children through a combination of physical injuries or torture; starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life; and by causing severe emotional harm.

Those three alleged forms of abuse, for each of the two children, amounted to the six aggravated child abuse counts that Ms Franke and Ms Hildebrandt each face.

Each count carries a sentence of 1-15 years in prison, and a fine up to $10,000, according to the release.

Neighbor said ‘emaciated’ boy had ‘duct tape’ around his legs in chilling 911 call

Sunday 10 September 2023 05:00 , Andrea Cavallier

A chilling 911 call revealed Ruby Franke’s 12-year-old boy, who was in the care of her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, reportedly showed up at the neighbor’s home with “duct tape” covering his ankles and wrists as he begged for food and water.

“He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”

“He has duct tape around each ankle. There’s sores around them. He has them around his wrists as well,” the neighbor told 911. His voice shaky and distraught, the neighbor continued: “This kid has obviously... he’s been detained. He’s obviously covered in wounds.”

Read more...

Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

ICYMI: Ruby Franke held without bail as Friday’s virtual hearing derailed by tech issues

Sunday 10 September 2023 07:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges.

But the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.

Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September.

Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail. On Saturday, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Ms Hildebrandt had experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue and had to be hospitalised.

Ms Franke’s attorney filed a motion to delay the hearing until after 5 October.

Watch: How a child’s escape led to Ruby Franke’s arrest

Sunday 10 September 2023 09:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Who is Ruby Franke?

Sunday 10 September 2023 11:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke, who once operated her own YouTube channel ‘8 passengers’ about the lives of her six children, has been placed under arrest on charges related to child abuse.

Franke first made headlines back in 2015 for her controversial parenting advice that she shared on the YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” which featured her husband Kevin Franke and their children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.

Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were ordered to be held without bail. Their bond hearings are slated for 21 September.

Read more...

Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger

Ruby Franke’s business partner hospitalised after being arrested on child abuse charges

Sunday 10 September 2023 14:00 , Andrea Cavallier

The blogger’s business partner Jodi Hildebrandt experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue while at the Washington County Jail and had to be hospitalised The Salt Lake Tribune reported over the weekend.

Franke’s lawyer LaMar Winward filed a motion requesting an expedited detention hearing for both women since “it is believed both cases should be heard at the same time.”

Their hearing was set on Friday for 21 September 21. But Franke’s lawyer filed a motion to move the date until after 5 October.

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt: Here's what trial could look like

Monday 11 September 2023 14:45 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hidlebrandt both face six felony counts of aggravated child abuse after being arrested when one of Franke’s malnourished children escaped and got help from a neighbor.

Natalie Whittingham-Burrell, a criminal defense attorney, told Insider that prosecutors will likely be able to use their YouTube videos during their trial.

“So if she has a pattern of abusing them, she can’t say, ‘Oh, it was an accident, I didn’t realize that this was abuse,’” she said. "It could show modus operandi - the way of committing a crime.”

The videos could also show a motive, to prove the abuse was intentional, she added.

“It could be the bizarre beliefs that came from the connections classroom,” she said, “It wasn’t accidental, it wasn’t just negligent, it was intentional and knowing abuse on the children.”

Who is Ruby Franke’s husband? Kevin Franke’s lawyer denies his client had any involvement

Monday 11 September 2023 15:45 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke’s husband Kevin was not arrested, but he is no stranger to controversy.

In 2020, he faced criticism from their online followers after he and Franke banned one of their children from his own bedroom and forced him to sleep on a beanbag. The punishment was for playing a prank on his brother.

Kevin’s whereabouts on the day of his wife’s arrest remain unclear. But his lawyer Randy Kester, appeared on Good Morning America on 6 September where he said his client played no role in the allegations.

“He is a good person. He is very gentle,” Mr Kester said. “And no one’s ever made any allegations that he’s ever physically abused those kids, or anyone else.”

“He just wants to do what’s best for his kids, get them back, get them under his tutelage and his fathership and protect them.”

Who is Ruby Franke’s estranged daughter?

Monday 11 September 2023 17:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Shari Franke, 20, is Ruby Franke’s eldest daughter and has been estranged from her for quite some time now.

Following her mother’s arrest, Shari posted to Instagram several statements about the situation. She started off by posting a photo of a police car and an officer, as she wrote: “Finally.”

“Me and my family are so glad justice is being served,” she wrote in another post. “We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they decided to finally step up. Kids are safe, but there’s a long road ahead.”

Shari also created a document asking followers to share “questionable” or “concerning” information about ConneXions or 8 Passengers.

Video resurfaces of Ruby Franke refusing to take her child lunch to ‘teach her a lesson’

Monday 11 September 2023 18:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Franke launched her "8 Passengers" YouTube channel in 2015, but it has since been shut down since her arrest.

A clip has resurfaced showing the mom being criticised for her own video explaining to followers that she had refused to take her kindergartner lunch after the child forgot it at home.

She said in the video that she told her daughter’s teacher she would not be bringing her lunch in hopes of teaching her a lesson.

“I know that her teacher is uncomfortable with her being hungry and not having a lunch and it would ease her discomfort if I came to the school with a lunch,” Franke said.

“But I responded and just said Eve is responsible for making her lunches in the morning and she actually told me she did pack a lunch, so the natural outcome is she’s just going to need to be hungry. And hopefully nobody gives her food and nobody steps in and gives her a lunch because then she’s not going to learn from the natural outcome.”

Sisters of Ruby Franke said they kept ‘quiet’ on the matter ‘`for the sake of her children’

Monday 11 September 2023 19:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Franke’s sisters Ellie Mecham, Julie Deru, and Bonnie Hoellein released a statement saying that, for the last three years, they have kept “quiet” on the subject of their siblings “for the sake of her children”.

They went on to say that they tried everything they could to ensure the children were safe.

“For the last three years we have kept quiet on the subject of our sister Ruby Franke for the sake of her children. Behind the public scene we have done everything we could to try and make sure the kids were safe. We wouldn’t feel right about moving forward with regular content without addressing the most recent events.

“Once we do, we will not be commenting on it further,” the statement continued. “Ruby was arrested, which needed to happen. Jodi was arrested which needed to happen. The kids are now safe, which is the number one priority.”

Why were Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt arrested?

Monday 11 September 2023 20:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt are accused of causing or permitting serious injury to the two hospitalised children aged 10 and 12 in three different ways, according to a news release from the Washington County attorney’s office as reported in The Salt Lake City Tribune.

They are said to have harmed the children through a combination of physical injuries or torture; starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life; and by causing severe emotional harm.

Those three alleged forms of abuse, for each of the two children, amounted to the six aggravated child abuse counts that Ms Franke and Ms Hildebrandt each face.

Each count carries a sentence of 1-15 years in prison, and a fine up to $10,000, according to the release.

ICYMI: Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

Monday 11 September 2023 22:00 , Andrea Cavallier

A newly released 911 call reveals the chilling details of the incident that led to Youtube influencer Ruby Franke’s arrest, when her 12-year-old child sought food and water from a neighbor.

Ms Franke’s child, who was reportedly also in the care of her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, “climbed out of the window AND ran to a neighbor’s home” on 30 August.

The child reportedly showed up at the neighbor’s home with “duct tape” covering his ankles and wrists as he begged for food and water.

Alarmed, the neighbor called the police.

Read more…

Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed

Ruby Franke attorney asks judge to change hearing date citing a ‘longstanding family vacation’

Monday 11 September 2023 23:00 , Andrea Cavallier

The attorney representing Ruby Franke filed a motion to  join co-defendant and business partner Jodi Hildebrant’s request for an expedited detention hearing, KUTV reported citing court documents.

The hearing was previously scheduled for September 21, but Franke’s defence attorney LaMar J. Winward requested for a hearing date of 14 September citing a “longstanding family vacation.”

The first request to move the hearing was filed by Hildebrandt’s attorney Douglas D. Terry on Friday.

In that motion, he wrote Hildebrandt “experienced a life-threatening medical issue,” and said she had been hospitalized for several days.

Both attorneys said they believed the hearing for both women should be heard together.

Ruby Franke’s video blog 8 passengers: was there an outcry?

Tuesday 12 September 2023 00:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Yes.

Some critics started an online petition asking child protective services to get involved. The Franke’s oldest daughter, Sherri Franke, cut ties with her parents, she has said in social media posts. The YouTube channel, which was started in 2015, ended after seven years.

Police records from Springville, Utah — where the Franke family lived — show Sherri Franke called police on 18 September 2022 to report her brothers and sisters had been left home alone for days.

Police also spoke with neighbours, but were unable to contact the children.

A report was made to Child and Family Services, according to police.

Ruby Franke threatens to take Christmas away from children in resurfaced video

Tuesday 12 September 2023 01:00 , Andrea Cavallier

In a video that has resurfaced since Franke’s arrest, she shared that she and her husband, Kevin, told their two youngest children they wouldn’t be getting any Christmas presents because they were selfish and weren’t responding to punishment.

They share six children -- Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell and Eve.

"It’s because they’re so numb, and the more numb your child is, the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up," Franke said in a video she shared on social media.

Neightbors who have accused Franke of withholding food as a punishment for her children, also say they took away Christmas one year.

“I remember that she took away their Christmas one year,” a male neighbor said, “and she would say things like ‘They’re not repenting correctly,’ which is a Mormon term for ‘they’re sinning.’ Just complete insanity.”

Everything we know about YouTube blogger Ruby Franke

Tuesday 12 September 2023 03:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke has been known as a YouTuber, a blogger, an influence, and now… a defendant facing child neglect charges.

Franke first made headlines back in 2015 for her controversial parenting advice that she shared on the YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” which featured her husband Kevin Franke and their children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.

The now-deleted channel was once popular, having accumulated more than two million subscribers before speculation and concern began to mount in 2020 about the family’s daily activities.

Two years later, the Utah-based mother went on to announce that she was joining a new YouTube channel called ConneXions - which has since been deleted - alongside Jodi Nan Hildebrandt. The pair also sparked controversy with their videos, including one in which they made claims about what loving children unconditionally means.

Last week, the mother-of-six was arrested after officials said they discovered a malnourished minor with visible injuries and duct tape on their limbs.

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Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger

The end of Ruby Franke’s blog 8 Passengers

Tuesday 12 September 2023 05:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke was known for sharing her family’s life on their video blog “8 Passengers.”

She and her husband received criticism over their parenting decisions, including banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother.

In one video, Ruby Franke talked about refusing to take lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home. Another showed her threatening to cut the head off a young girl’s stuffed toy to punish her for cutting things in the house.

In one video, Franke said she and her husband told their two youngest children that they would not be getting presents from Santa Claus because they had been selfish and weren’t responding to punishment like being kept home from school and cleaning the floorboards.

“It’s because they’re so numb, and the more numb your child is, the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up,” Franke said in a video.

The blog had 2.3 million followers before it was deleted in 2022.

How did Ruby Franke, a mother who used to give parental advice, come to be arrested for alleged child abuse?

Tuesday 12 September 2023 07:00 , Andrea Cavallier

How did a family friendly channel turn into something potentially sinister?

Here’s what we know about the child abuse scandal plaguing YouTube family 8 passengers. Faiza Saqib reports

YouTuber Ruby Franke used to offer parental advice. Now she’s accused of child abuse

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt ran self improvement program before their arrest

Tuesday 12 September 2023 09:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Before the two women were arrested on child neglect charges, they ran a self-improvement program called ConneXions.

The program, which uses workbooks and podcasts, aims to “help treat those lost and stranded in the darkness of distortion,” according to its website.

The company YouTube account has since been deleted.

What happened to Ruby Franke’s children?

Tuesday 12 September 2023 11:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Two of Franke’s children were taken to a hospital for medical treatment, according to court documents.

Those children, along with Franke’s other children, were placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services.

ICYMI: Ruby Franke’s husband Kevin not involved, is a ‘good person,’ lawyer says

Tuesday 12 September 2023 13:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Ruby Franke’s husband Kevin was not arrested but thw whereabouts on the day his wife was taken into custody remains unknown.

His lawyer Randy Kester, appeared on Good Morning America on 6 September where he said his client played no role in the allegations.

“He is a good person. He is very gentle,” Mr Kester said. “And no one’s ever made any allegations that he’s ever physically abused those kids, or anyone else.”

“He just wants to do what’s best for his kids, get them back, get them under his tutelage and his fathership and protect them.”

Where is Ruby Franke now?

Tuesday 12 September 2023 14:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Both Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt experienced medical issues while behind bars after being arrested last week on child neglect charges.

Hildebrandt had a “life-threatening” medical issue while at the Washington County Jail and had to be hospitalised The Salt Lake Tribune reported citing court documents.

Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail. She is now back in general population, it’s been reported.

Their attorneys filed a motion requesting an expedited detention hearing for both women on 14 September since “it is believed both cases should be heard at the same time.”

Their hearing is still set for 21 September.