A well-known parenting advice YouTuber has been sentenced to prison for child abuse, as authorities discovered that she had subjected her six children to conditions resembling a “concentration camp.”
Ruby Franke, along with her partner Jodi Hildebrandt, has been handed a maximum prison term of 30 years by a Utah judge on Tuesday.
The 41-year-old influencer, who previously shared insights into her family life on her now-defunct YouTube channel, was taken into custody following the discovery of abuse and malnourishment involving two of her six children in August 2023.
One of her 12-year-old sons managed to escape through a window and seek assistance from a nearby residence, pleading for food and water.
Franke, along with Hildebrandt, 54, who operates a mental health counseling firm focused on promoting honesty, responsibility, and humility, were both apprehended.
The investigation was initiated when Franke’s son fled from Hildebrandt’s residence and sought help from a neighbor, as detailed in a police booking affidavit.
Upon the authorities’ arrival, they observed severe wounds and signs of malnourishment on the boy, who had duct tape on his ankles and wrists, prompting the neighbor to contact law enforcement.
The boy, visibly emaciated, was promptly transported to a local hospital, where he was placed under medical supervision due to deep lacerations from being bound with rope and severe malnourishment.
Subsequently, law enforcement officers discovered a 10-year-old girl at Hildebrandt’s residence, also displaying signs of malnourishment.
Both children were reportedly in Hildebrandt’s care, with the 54-year-old declining to cooperate with authorities and advising that the children should not interact with others.
Ruby Franke, recognized for her YouTube channel “8 Passengers” with a substantial following, documented the lives of her husband and six children from Springville, Utah.
The channel, established in 2015, was unexpectedly deactivated earlier this year for unspecified reasons.