Police in Utah have arrested a controversial former YouTube star after one of her children allegedly escaped an abusive home. Many may remember Ruby Franke, 41, as the family's matriarch on the popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which once had more than 2 million subscribers before the channel was taken off the platform in 2022. Franke is now back in the spotlight because of child abuse charges.
Many criticized Franke's parenting style during the heyday of her online fame, claiming the mother's child-rearing seemed too strict. The latest allegations came to light after one of her children allegedly showed up at a neighbor's house with signs of physical abuse. Some say justice for Franke's children will finally be served. The boy reportedly escaped a home owned by her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, with whom she shares a podcast and runs the Instagram account @moms_of_truth.
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Franke is known for unconventional parenting.
The mother of six often shared her family's day-to-day experiences on the now-defunct YouTube channel as vlogs. Her children played a part in many of the concerning videos. Her oldest daughter, Shari Franke, posted a link to a Google Doc on her Instagram account with links to videos that she alleged showed her mother's abusive ways.
In one clip, Franke's son Chad talks about how his mother took his bed away for seven months and he's been sleeping on a beanbag as punishment for playing a prank. The mother of six laughed as he described the circumstance and commented on how she thought it was justified.
But it wasn't just sleeping arrangements that caused her parenting to come under fire.
Another clip on TikTok shows Franke talking about her daughter, Eve, forgetting to pack a lunch and the child's teacher texting Franke and asking her to bring the child food. Shockingly, Franke reportedly told the teacher that it was the child's responsibility to pack her lunch, and because she didn't do that, she would have to go hungry.
The mother didn't seem the least bit apologetic; instead, she said, "The natural outcome is she's just going to need to be hungry, and hopefully, no one gives her food, and nobody steps in and gives her lunch."
Infuriated followers commented on the clip. "And to post it on YouTube like it wouldn't catch up with her," a TikToker pointed out.
Her child allegedly escaped from his mother and Hildebrandt, begging for help.
Fox 13 reported Franke's son climbed through a window of the home in Ivans and knocked on a neighbor's door asking for food and water. The child had duct tape on his wrists and ankles and open wounds on his body, according to a police report obtained by the news outlet.
The child was reportedly malnourished and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The Department of Family Services took four children into custody, Fox 13 reported.
Ruby Franke's husband has retained an attorney.
Kevin Franke's attorney, Randy S. Kester, said that his "urgent focus is simply to keep his children together under his fatherly care," according to Page Six. The couple share six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.
Kevin Franke has stayed out of the spotlight in the last several months and once held a teaching position at Brigham Young University, but he is no longer employed by the school, Page Six reported. It could not confirm whether the couple is still together.
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Family condemned Franke's allegedly abusive behavior.
Shari Franke posted a photo on her Instagram Stories of the police at Hildebrandt's home with the caption, "Finally." She urged others to unfollow any social media accounts connected to her mother and Hildebrandt and felt vindicated.
"Today has been a big day. Me and my family are so glad justice is being served. We've been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up," she wrote.
Her sisters shared a statement with Page Six acknowledging their sister's behavior and admitting it "needed to happen."
"For the last 3 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," the statement reads.
Franke and Hildebrandt were both arrested on two counts of suspected child abuse. Franke is being held without bond.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
