Ruby Franke, a 41-year-old woman known for her YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” which once had 2.5 million subscribers and featured parenting advice, has been arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse in Utah. Her 12-year-old son approached a neighbor’s house in Ivins, Utah, looking for food, which led to the discovery of his emaciated condition and signs of abuse.
Franke’s son was found with duct tape on his ankles and wrists and deep lacerations from being tied up with rope. He was also severely malnourished. He was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. Later, Franke’s 10-year-old daughter was also found malnourished in the house of her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, with whom Franke had been collaborating on YouTube videos posted under Hildebrandt’s counseling business, ConneXions Classroom.
Franke and Hildebrandt have both been charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse. Two more of Franke’s children were taken into the custody of child protection services.
A previous encounter with child and family services occurred in 2020 when officials were called to the Franke home after one of the sons stated on YouTube that he had been forced to sleep on a beanbag chair for seven months as punishment. At that time, Franke and her husband claimed the situation had been taken out of context.
Franke’s husband, Kevin Franke, has not commented on her arrest, and a lawyer representing his interests declined to provide further information. Hildebrandt’s counseling business has not responded to requests for comment. Both women were denied bail, and Franke requested a lawyer and did not speak to officers during her arrest.
