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Ruby Franke

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Ruby Franke
Born
Ruby Griffiths[1]

(1982-01-18) January 18, 1982 (age 42)
Utah, U.S.
StatusIncarcerated
OccupationFormer YouTuber
Spouse
Kevin Franke
​
(sep. 2022)​
Children6
Conviction(s)Aggravated child abuse (4 counts)
Criminal penalty4 to 30 years imprisonment
Details
Victims2
Date2020–2023
Date apprehended
August 30, 2023

Ruby Franke (née Griffiths;[1] born January 18, 1982)[2][3][4] is an American former family vlogger who ran the now defunct YouTube channel called 8 Passengers. On August 30, 2023, Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested in Washington County, Utah, and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse of two of Franke's children under Utah law, four counts to which she pled guilty. She was sentenced to serve between four and thirty years in prison on February 20, 2024.[5]

Career

In early 2015, Franke created a YouTube channel called 8 Passengers in which she documented her family life in Utah with her husband, Kevin, and their six children.[6][7][8] She originally posted five days a week at 6:00 AM.[6] As of June 2020, the channel had around 2.5 million subscribers[9][10] and amassed 1 billion views.[11]

Beginning in 2020, when one of the Franke children said that he had been banned from his bedroom and made to sleep on a bean bag for seven months, viewers became concerned about his mother's disciplinary methods, which also included withholding food,[7][10] sending a child to a wilderness camp for troubled teens, threatening to behead a stuffed toy, and telling two of her children that Santa Claus would not be bringing them anything for Christmas that year because they were too "numb" to respond to other punishments.[8] A Change.org petition was launched reporting perceived child abuse and neglect.[7][8][10][12] The Franke parents posted in defense of the discipline, saying the incidents had been taken out of context.[9] The 8 Passengers YouTube channel declined in popularity in 2021.[7]

In 2022, the Frankes separated, and Kevin moved out of the house. Ruby deleted the YouTube channel[13] and began working as a mental health coach at ConneXions, a company run by Jodi Hildebrandt, a counselor.[3][8][12] They launched a new video channel together called ConneXions in 2022,[14] and created a joint Instagram account called Moms of Truth,[14] offering parenting classes.[7] Neighbors and the Frankes' oldest daughter, a college student, called authorities to check on the latter's siblings after observing that their mother often left the children alone at home.[13]

Arrest and charges

On August 30, 2023, Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested in Ivins, Utah, and two days later, both were charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, a felony.[2][3][7][8][15][16] According to a statement from the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department, the arrests were triggered after Franke's twelve-year-old son, who appeared emaciated and had "open wounds and duct tape around the extremities", had climbed through a window of Hildebrandt's house and asked at a neighboring house for food and water.[2][3][7][15] Emergency services found Franke's ten-year-old daughter in the house, also malnourished; both children were taken to a hospital, where the boy was treated for severe malnourishment and "deep lacerations from being tied up with rope".[2][8] A search of the house found evidence "consistent with the markings" on the twelve-year-old, and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services took the boy and girl and two more of Franke's children into care.[2][3] Police later reported that according to the boy, cayenne pepper and honey had been used to dress his wounds.[13][17]

Franke and Hildebrandt were held without bail.[18][19] Hildebrandt surrendered her license as a counselor pending resolution of the court case and a disciplinary investigation.[13][20] After her arrest, YouTube banned Franke from the platform, also deleting two channels which were linked to her.[21]

On December 18, 2023, Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. She later pleaded not guilty to two other counts.[22] The factual basis mentioned an incident of Franke forcing her son to work outdoors over several weeks with inadequate protection, resulting in severe sunburns, and claims that the children were possessed. Franke agreed to serve a prison sentence and to serve her respective sentences consecutively rather than concurrently. Franke was expected to testify against Hildebrandt in Hildebrandt's upcoming trial, but Hildebrandt separately pleaded guilty to four counts of felony aggravated child abuse on December 27, with two charges dropped as part of another plea deal.[23][24][25] On February 20, 2024, Franke received four consecutive sentences of between one and fifteen years' imprisonment, meaning she must serve a minmum term of four years. Although the maximum term that could be imposed for all sentences would be 60 years, the Utah Code dictates that the time served by a defendant upon whom consecutive sentences are imposed must not exceed 30 years, except in circumstances of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The exact term she will serve to be decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.[26][5][27]

Personal life

The Frankes are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[6][7] Their oldest daughter has stated that she has long disapproved of her mother's parenting strategies.[3][7]

Franke has three sisters who are also parenting influencers;[3][6][7] they disassociated themselves from her actions in a joint statement[3][7][14] and later in individual videos.[28]

In November 2023, Franke's husband filed for divorce after the couple had been separated for more than a year.[29][30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Breen, Kerry (February 20, 2024). "Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt sentenced to up to 30 years in prison in child abuse case - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024. Franke's parents, Chad and Jennifer Griffiths, said in their statement to the court that for three years they only had "brief communications" with their daughter, where she "accused us of either things that never happen or she grossly exaggerated the events that did."
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ruby Franke: '8 Passengers' parenting mum arrested on child abuse suspicion". BBC News. September 1, 2023. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Tumin, Remy (September 1, 2023). "Host of YouTube Parenting Channel Is Charged With Child Abuse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Utah County Sheriff's Office Inmate Search". sheriff.utahcounty.gov. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke sentenced to 4 consecutive terms in prison". Deseret News. February 20, 2024. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Christensen, Megan Marsden (January 16, 2016). "Springville mother documents family life on popular YouTube channel". KSL.com. Deseret Digital Media. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ables, Kelsey; Bellware, Kim (September 1, 2023). "What to know about Ruby Franke, parenting YouTuber charged with child abuse". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Hanson, Amy Beth (September 1, 2023). "Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke charged with aggravated child abuse of 2 of her 6 children". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Dodgson, Lindsay (June 25, 2020). "These YouTuber parents are speaking out after drama channels and TikTokers accused them of being abusive to their children and had child protective services visit their house". Business Insider. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Walrath-Holdridge, Mary (September 1, 2023). "Who is Ruby Franke? 8 Passengers family vlogger arrested on child abuse charges". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  11. ^ "8 Passengers YouTube Channel statistics". July 31, 2023. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Tolentino, Daysia; Rosenblatt, Kalhan (August 31, 2023). "Who is Ruby Franke, the mom of the '8 Passengers' YouTube channel arrested on abuse charges?". NBC News Pop Culture. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c d Miller, Jordan (October 4, 2023). "Ruby Franke case: A timeline of events". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  14. ^ a b c Bubalo, Mattea (September 9, 2023). "Ruby Franke and 8 passengers: The rise and fall of a parenting influencer". BBC News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Sole, Elise (September 1, 2023). "YouTuber mom Ruby Franke arrested and charged in child abuse investigation". Today.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  16. ^ Olson, Emily (September 6, 2023). "YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke formally charged with 6 felony counts of child abuse". NPR. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  17. ^ Hanson, Amy Beth (September 20, 2023). "Son of Utah woman who gave online parenting advice says therapist tied him up with ropes". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  18. ^ Rissman, Kelly (September 10, 2023). "Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges is derailed by tech issues". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  19. ^ Hanson, Amy Beth (September 8, 2023). "Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke and business partner to remain jailed on child abuse charges". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  20. ^ "YouTube mom Ruby Franke to plead guilty in child abuse case, attorney says". ABCNEWS. Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  21. ^ Neumann, Sean (September 6, 2023). "YouTube Bans Ruby Franke, Deletes Her Channels Following Arrest and Child Abuse Charges". People. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  22. ^ Fadulu, Lola (December 18, 2023). "Former YouTube Parenting Channel Host Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 990059982. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  23. ^ "YouTube mom who gave parenting advice, Ruby Franke, pleads guilty in child abuse case". AP News. December 18, 2023. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  24. ^ Melendez, Pilar (December 18, 2023). "Momfluencer Ruby Franke Admits to Sick Abuse in Guilty Plea". Daily Beast. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  25. ^ Jones, CT (December 27, 2023). "Mommy Vlogger Ruby Franke Pleaded Guilty To Child Abuse — Now Her Business Partner Has, Too". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  26. ^ Breen, Kerry (February 20, 2024). "Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt sentenced to at least 4 years in prison in child abuse case". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  27. ^ "Utah Code Section 76-3-401". le.utah.gov. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  28. ^ Yang, Angela (September 14, 2023). "'We did not know what they were doing': Ruby Franke's sisters share new video statements". NBC News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  29. ^ "Ruby Franke's husband files for divorce". NBC News. November 30, 2023. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  30. ^ "Ruby Franke's husband files for divorce after her child abuse arrest". independent. December 2023. ISSN 0951-9467. OCLC 1113389868. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
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