Disgraced family vlogger Ruby Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse on Monday, December 18, per NBC News and other sources. Prosecutors had initially charged her with six counts of child abuse. However, as part of a deal, she pleaded guilty to four out of the six counts. She is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2024.
Authorities arrested Franke and her podcasting partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, earlier this year in August. This happened after the former’s 12-year-old son allegedly escaped Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah, that month. The boy then went over to a neighbor’s house “emaciated” and “covered in wounds,” asking for food and water. Police later found Franke’s 10-year-old daughter in “a similar physical condition of malnourishment” inside the same house.
Ruby Franke’s sentencing scheduled after guilty plea in child abuse case
Per BBC, Ruby Franke, whose now-defunct YouTube channel “8 Passengers” had nearly 2.3 million followers, appeared in court on Monday to accept a plea deal. As part of the deal, Franke said she pleaded guilty “with my deepest regret and sorrow for my family and my children” to four felony counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse. The disgraced family vlogger also agreed to testify against her former business partner and collaborator, Jodi Hildebrandt.
Franke is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2024. Each count carries a maximum of 15 years of prison term and a fine of up to $10,000. The 41-year-old will remain incarcerated until her sentencing.
BBC mentioned that Franke’s lawyer released a statement casting the blame on Hildebrandt. The statement alleged that the latter led Franke “astray.” It said, “Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrandt had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrant took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous.”
The statement further stated, “Over an extended period, Ms Hildebrandt systematically isolated Ruby Franke from her extended family, older children, and her husband, Kevin Franke. This prolonged isolation resulted in Ms Franke being subjected to a distorted sense of morality.”
Ruby Franke pleads guilty: Child abuse case explained
New York Times reported that Ruby Franke was first charged in September with six counts of felony child abuse following her August arrest. At the time, authorities also arrested her then-podcasting partner, Jodi Hildebrandt. The arrest and charges came after Franke’s 12-year-old son, known as R.F. in official documents, climbed out Hildebrandt’s house window. The boy then went to a neighbor’s house asking for food and water.
Franke’s son had duct tape on his ankles and wrists and open wounds. He also looked emaciated and malnourished. The neighbor informed authorities. At the time, officials stated that they took the boy to the hospital “due to his deep lacerations from being tied up with rope and from his malnourishment.” They also found her 10-year-old daughter, Eve, at Hildebrandt’s home in a similar condition.
The outlet reported that the mother-of-six and her husband, Kevin, previously came under fire for strict parenting strategies, which included refusing food to their children. They used these strategies as a form of punishment and even documented the same on their YouTube channel. People accused the couple of being abusive for years. These videos also included the lives of Ruby Franke’s kids – Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.
Franke also often collaborated on parenting and relationship advice videos with Hildebrandt for the latter’s life coaching service, ConneXions. Hildebrandt’s charges also include counts of child abuse.
Impact x Nightline’s episode titled “Ruby Franke: A Momfluencer’s Double Life?” chronicles Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt’s child abuse case.
