Ruby Franke has received the maximum prison term after being convicted of mistreating her children.
Both mothers were handed four consecutive sentences of 1 to 15 years in prison for each of the second-degree felony charges of aggravated child abuse they confessed to, implying a potential total of 60 years behind bars.
The saga began in August 2023 when Franke’s child managed to escape her residence in Utah, US, alerting a neighbor, leading to the arrest of Franke and Hildebrandt.
Franke initiated the ‘8Passengers’ YouTube channel with her former spouse Kevin, garnering over 2.5 million subscribers before its deletion in 2023 post-arrest. Concerns raised by subscribers regarding potential child abuse led to a police investigation due to the questionable content in their videos.
In 2021, Franke defended her parenting style in an interview, asserting that she was demonstrating responsible motherhood. However, in 2022, she ceased video uploads on the channel and joined Hildebrandt’s ConneXions podcast, where controversial discussions on various topics attracted negative attention.
The arrest occurred in August the following year, revealing a distressing situation where Franke’s son sought help from neighbors due to severe malnourishment and abuse. Subsequent investigations uncovered similar conditions for the other children involved.
Family members, including Franke’s daughters and sisters, expressed relief at the arrests, emphasizing the long-standing efforts to ensure the children’s safety. In a significant development, Kevin filed for divorce from Franke.
Following their arrests, Franke and Hildebrandt faced six counts of felony child abuse. Additional allegations surfaced from Hildebrandt’s niece, detailing similar abusive behavior endured during her stay with Hildebrandt.
YouTube took action by banning Franke and deleting both 8Passengers and ConneXions channels. Franke initially shifted blame to Hildebrandt for influencing the abuse, but later pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
In the sentencing, Franke received four separate prison terms, with a maximum of 30 years due to Utah’s consecutive sentencing law. Hildebrandt received a similar sentence, with both expressing remorse and seeking the children’s healing.
For confidential assistance regarding child welfare concerns, individuals can contact the NSPCC at 0808 800 5000 or Childline at 0800 1111 for children seeking support.