SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ruby Franke, a mother of six from Utah who previously offered parenting guidance to a vast audience through a once-popular YouTube channel, delivered a heartfelt apology to her children for the physical and emotional mistreatment they endured. This emotional moment unfolded in court as a judge handed down a sentence of up to 60 years in prison on Tuesday.
Franke, addressing Judge John J. Walton, expressed her decision not to seek a reduced sentence. She then expressed gratitude towards local law enforcement, medical professionals, and social workers, referring to them as the “angels” who rescued her children from her harmful influence. She attributed her actions to being under the sway of her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, a mental health counselor from Utah. Hildebrandt, who initially worked with Franke’s youngest son before entering into a business partnership, also received a similar prison sentence of up to 60 years on the same day.
In a poignant moment, Franke tearfully stated, “I’ll never stop crying for hurting your tender souls,” acknowledging the manipulation of her intentions into something destructive. She expressed deep regret for depriving her children of safety and comfort, acknowledging the ugliness of her actions.
Franke and Hildebrandt had pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. Their offenses included attempting to convince Franke’s two youngest children that they were inherently evil, possessed, and in need of punishment for repentance. The arrests took place at Hildebrandt’s residence in Ivins, Utah, after Franke’s 12-year-old son managed to escape and seek help from a neighbor, leading to police intervention.
The disturbing conditions in which the children were kept were likened by State prosecuting attorney Eric Clarke to a “concentration camp-like setting,” drawing a chilling parallel to the atrocities of the Holocaust. While Franke displayed remorse and cooperation with authorities, Hildebrandt, according to Clarke, has shown less remorse and continues to deflect blame onto the children.
Hildebrandt, in her statement to the court, expressed love for the children and a genuine desire for their physical and emotional healing. She emphasized her acceptance of responsibility and her decision to spare the children from further trauma by avoiding a trial.
The plea deals involved Franke admitting to severe acts of abuse, including kicking her son while wearing boots and subjecting him to waterboarding-like treatment. Both Franke and Hildebrandt confessed to inflicting harsh labor on the children in extreme heat, leading to dehydration and severe sunburns. The plea agreements revealed that the children were misled into believing that these actions were expressions of love.
In a disturbing revelation, Hildebrandt admitted to coercing Franke’s youngest daughter to endure painful acts, such as jumping into a cactus and running barefoot on gravel roads. Following the arrests, the affected children were hospitalized and placed in state custody along with two other siblings.
Prior to her arrest in 2023, Ruby Franke had already sparked controversy within the parenting vlogging community. Criticisms were directed at the Frankes for their parenting choices, such as an incident where their eldest son was banned from his room for seven months as a consequence of a prank. Additionally, Ruby Franke’s past videos featured concerning incidents like withholding lunch from a forgetful kindergartener and threatening a child with harm for misbehavior.
The once-popular “8 Passengers” YouTube channel, operated by the Franke family, has since been discontinued, and Kevin Franke, Ruby’s husband, has initiated divorce proceedings.
Both Franke and Hildebrandt have a 30-day window to appeal their sentences.