Newly released footage of Ruby Franke's initial police interview has been shared with the public after the YouTuber was given the maximum sentence for child abuse.
The US mother of six used to give parental advice to millions on her once-popular YouTube channel.
However, Franke, 42, and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, 55, both plead guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse for trying to convince Franke’s two youngest children that they were evil, possessed and needed to be punished.
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Below is a video of her first police interrogation.
Warning: contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing
The pair were arrested last August at Hildebrandt’s house in Utah, after Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window and asked a neighbour to call the police.
The boy, who was thin, covered in wounds and had duct tape around his ankles and wrists, told the St George Police Department that Hildebrandt had put ropes on his limbs and used cayenne pepper and honey to dress his cuts.
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State prosecuting attorney Eric Clarke called the environment the children were kept in 'a concentration camp-like setting'.
Now, over the weekend, the Washington County Attorney’s Office has shared previously unseen footage of Franke's horrifying first interrogation session.
During the police interview, the officers ask her several questions about her children and the mother refuses to comment.
Instead, she keeps a blank stare for nearly two minutes.
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After questioning, she said she'll only talk with her attorney.
Franke and her husband, Kevin Franke, launched 8 Passengers on YouTube in 2015, racking up a large following as they documented their experiences raising six children.
She later began working with Hildebrandt’s counselling company, ConneXions Classroom, offering parenting seminars, while launching another YouTube channel.
Franke admitted in her plea deal to kicking her son while wearing boots, holding his head under water and closing off his mouth and nose with her hands.
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In a statement to a 5th District Court judge on 20 February, she said: "My choice to believe and behave this paranoia culminated into criminal activity, for which I stand before you today ready to take accountability.
"Jodi Hildebrandt was never my business partner, nor was I ever employed by her.
"I have never received wages from her or ConneXions. Jodi was employed as my son’s counsellor in 2019, and in 2020, I paid her to be my mentor.
"It is important to me to demonstrate my remorse and regret without blame. I take full accountability for my choices, and it is my preference that I serve a prison sentence."
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On 20 February, Franke was convicted and given four separate prison sentences of one to 15 years.
However, she will not serve more than 30 years in the Federal Penitentiary because of a Utah law about consecutive sentences.
Full timeline of the Ruby Franke case:
Starting a YouTube channel and initial suspicions
Franke started her parenting YouTube channel '8Passengers' with now ex-husband Kevin, amassing over 2.5 million subscribers before it was deleted in 2023 following the arrest.
Several subscribers became suspicious of child abuse, with a petition being signed for the police to investigate the family, citing the numerous questionable videos uploaded.
Franke joins ConneXions with Jodi Hildebrandt
The mum told critics in a 2021 interview for The Wrap that she was showing everyone 'what a responsible mother looks like'.
She stopped uploading videos to the channel in 2022, joining Mormon therapist Hildebrandt's ConneXions podcast.
Their divisive opinions on subjects such as eating disorders, blaming rape victims and criticising immigrants drew the wrong kind of attention.
The arrest
Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on child abuse charges in August 2023.
The Santa Clara Public Safety Department were called to the Ivins neighbourhood in Utah after a neighbour was alerted by Franke's 'emaciated' 12-year-old son, who escaped to knock on their door to ask for help.
He had visible marks and wounds from duct tape put around his ankles, and asked for some food and water.
Police found his 10-year-old sister in a 'similar physical condition of malnourishment' in Hildebrandt's house.
Family members speak out
Franke's oldest daughter, Shari, wrote on Instagram on the day of the arrests: “Today has been a big day."
The 20-year-old continued: "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."
In November, Kevin also officially filed for divorce from Franke.
Franke and Hildebrandt are charged with six counts of child abuse
Just one week after their arrests, the pair were charged with six counts of felony child abuse.
YouTube banned Franke, deleting both 8Passengers and ConneXionschannels and banning her from the social media platform.
Franke blames the abuse on Hildebrandt
Her attorneys released a statement that said: “Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrandt had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrandt took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous," according to Fox13.
It blamed Hildebrandt solely for isolating Franke from her family completely, distorting her morality.
Franke pleads guilty
Just three days after the statement was released, Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
Franke and Hildebrandt are sentenced to prison for child abuse
On 20 February 2024, Franke was convicted and given four separate prison sentences for one to 15 years, with the length of each sentence decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
Franke will not serve more than 30 years in the Federal Penitentiary because of a Utah law about consecutive sentences.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Crime, Parenting, US News, YouTube, Ruby Franke
Anish Vij