Ruby Franke debuted her family on her YouTube channel “8 Passengers” in 2015, accumulating over 2.2 million followers as of this year. The channel followed her six children and documented their everyday lives. The mommy vlogger would typically post family-oriented content to her channel, discussing daily life, traveling, and offering parenting advice.

Although Franke’s channel was previously known for being wholesome and relatable, around 2020, subscribers of the family vlogger raised questions about her strict parenting style amid posting controversial content. In many videos, Franke can be seen refusing to feed her children, reprimanding them in manipulative ways, and even evicting her son from his bedroom. The content Franke was uploading to her channel was not only questionable to her fanbase, but it was also concerning as well. A petition that was published in May 2020 urged followers of the channel to act on behalf of the children who were thought to have been abused. 

It wasn’t until 2022 that followers of the “8 Passengers” channel started to notice a shift in Franke’s demeanor online. Her professional relationship with Connexions founder and mental health counselor Jodi Hildebrandt was made public, and Franke stopped posting on her personal YouTube channel. In a Connexions podcast featuring both Franke and Hildebrandt, the two discuss their religious and personal beliefs in regard to family, friends, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Over the course of a year, Franke and Hildebrandt uploaded videos on the Connexions YouTube channel that urged individuals to exercise their parental rights by denying homosexuality, gender equality, and religious intolerance. The Morman-led group suggests limiting a child’s right to privacy and self-expression while maintaining an intimidating presence in their lives.

Followers of “8 Passengers” became more worried about the well-being of the Franke children which led to a collection of online videos being created criticizing both Franke and Hildebrandt. The controversial conversations and topics discussed on camera between the two is the reason issues regarding both Franke and Hildebrandt were made public.

Both Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were apprehended at Hildebrandt’s Ivans County, Utah residence on August 30, 2023, after 12-year-old Russell Franke escaped the home by climbing through a window and seeking help from neighbors nearby. In a phone call made to police, a neighbor of Hildebrandt’s describes R.F. to be “emaciated” and had tape around his legs.

The disturbing phone call led to the initial arrest on two counts of aggravated child abuse. The charges against Franke and Hildebrandt were later upgraded to six felony counts of aggravated child abuse, each charge of which holds up to a $10,000 fine and up to 15 years in prison. Following the arrest, both YouTube channels were taken down.

In December, Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt both plead guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse in Washington County 5th District Court in Utah. Both women were sentenced to consecutive terms of one to fifteen years in the Utah State Correctional Facility where they remain currently. Although their sentences will be anywhere between four to sixty years, the exact time they will both spend in prison is unknown and will be at the discretion of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. 

The accumulation of incidents created as a result of Franke and Hildebrandt’s abuse is substantial. As per her plea agreement, Franke’s son was forced to do manual labor outside in the Utah heat for hours barefoot. The heat from being outside resulted in “repeated and serious sunburns with sloughing skins,” which led to severe physical distress.

Furthermore, R.F. was denied water and food despite working outside for hours on end. After R.F. attempted to run away, his wrists and ankles were tied to anchors inside the house to ensure his compliance. The children were reportedly held underwater for long periods of time, denied food and water daily, and shunned for “sinning” inside Hildebrandt’s home. 

Online outrage ensued as both women made formal statements in court during their sentencing on February 20, 2024.

“I sincerely love these children,” states Hildebrandt in Washington County 5th District Court in Utah. “I desire for them to heal physically and emotionally.”

Prosecutor Eric Clarke stated that this case of child abuse is the worst that his office has seen. Clarke asserts that Hildebrandt’s efforts to sway the court were poor, as her remarks in jail suggest that she still believes in her teachings. He adds, “I’m super concerned that Jodi – if she were released today – is a significant risk to gather followers.” Franke, on the other hand, is remorseful, according to Clarke.

He argues that Franke is aware that she was wrong in her abuse towards her children. He suggests that Franke will have time to change her beliefs and way of thinking in prison and will give her children time to heal. 

There are currently no forthcoming legal proceedings scheduled for Franke and Hildebrandt. Their futures will primarily depend on the parole board’s decisions, which will review their cases in time.