Authorities discovered a journal written by former YouTuber Ruby Franke before her conviction for aggravated child abuse. The document contained graphic details of the abuse inflicted on her two youngest children.
A police investigator read excerpts from the journal in Hulu’s new docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke. In one entry, Franke wrote:
- “Sleep outside, shaved her head, doused her with water, over his nose and mouth, head in the toilet, needs to be painful. Blood on his face, scream and scream.”
In another, she described pushing her son into the sun and using a cactus poker:
- “When I poke his back to get in the sun, he doesn’t even flinch. I told him, give your demon friend a message for me. I will not rest. I will not stop. I will not leave. I will fight him until the day you die.”
The Trailer of Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke:
Police Intervention and Arrest
Authorities arrested Franke in August 2023 after her 12-year-old son escaped from the home she shared with Jodi Hildebrandt. The child, visibly malnourished and injured, asked a neighbour for help.
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Police discovered the boy had wounds and marks from tape around his wrists and ankles. Officers later found Franke’s nine-year-old daughter in a similar state inside Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah.
The Rise and Fall of ‘8 Passengers’
Ruby Franke and her husband, Kevin Franke, gained prominence through their YouTube channel 8 Passengers. The channel, which launched in 2015, showcased their strict parenting style and amassed over two million subscribers.
Following Franke’s arrest, YouTube removed the channel. Kevin Franke was not charged in the case.
Influence of Jodi Hildebrandt
Hildebrandt, a former sex therapist and founder of ConneXions, played a significant role in the events leading up to Franke’s arrest. A therapist featured in the docuseries described Hildebrandt’s influence:
- “She was excellent at exploiting Mormon anxiety.”
Franke’s son, Chad Franke, recounted his first therapy session with Hildebrandt. He initially intended to deceive her but found himself exposed:
- “She really kind of just read through me. And that really excited my mum, that there’s finally someone out there who isn’t gonna take my bullcrap anymore. So she was hooked onto [Hildebrandt] from that moment on.”
Hildebrandt later moved into the Franke family home in 2022 and took over the bedroom of Franke’s eldest daughter, Shari Franke.
Figure 1: Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Both Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse. They received sentences ranging from four to 30 years in prison, with the final duration to be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
At her sentencing, Franke expressed remorse:
- “I will never stop crying for hurting your tender souls.”
Impact on the Franke Family
The documentary features exclusive interviews with Kevin Franke and the two eldest children, Shari and Chad Franke. The series reveals the emotional toll on the family.
Kevin Franke described the overwhelming presence of cameras in their home:
- “When I came in the door, wherever Ruby was, the camera was. All of a sudden, it wasn’t enough to just interact with her, I had to interact with the camera.”
Chad Franke also expressed his discomfort with the family’s YouTube presence:
- “I hated it. And there was a time, maybe even a year or more, where I truly hated her.”
Ruby Franke’s Estranged Husband and Son Break Their Silence on Her Child Abuse Vlogging Scandal:
Hulu Docuseries Provides New Insights
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke features never-before-seen footage, including behind-the-scenes clips of Ruby Franke. The documentary includes moments where Franke appeared frustrated with her family off-camera but maintained a different persona while filming.
Director Olly Lambert explained the importance of telling the full story:
- “I think they all individually had it in mind that the story needed to be told with depth and nuance over a long period of time and in detail, because only then can you sort of fully understand how they ended up where they did.”
Documentary Safeguards Privacy of Younger Children
The filmmakers protected the identities of the four youngest Franke children by blurring their faces and censoring their names. Ruby Franke and Hildebrandt did not participate in the series and did not respond to requests for comment.
Figure 2: Ruby Franke and Kevin Franke with their six children. [Moms of Truth/Instagram]
Public Reaction and Ongoing Impact
The case of Ruby Franke sparked widespread outrage. Viewers of the docuseries expressed shock at the extent of the documented abuse. The series continues to generate discussions about family vloggers and child exploitation in online content.
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is now streaming on Hulu.
