Parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt have been sentenced to prison for torturing Franke’s children in the name of religion. The two women pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse each, and could face up to 30 years in prison.
Franke, who ran the popular “8 Passengers” YouTube channel, and Hildebrandt, who operated a counseling business called ConneXions Classroom, were arrested in August after Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped from Hildebrandt’s home and reported the abuse to the authorities.
According to the plea agreements, the two women subjected Franke’s children to horrific acts of abuse, such as restraining them, forcing them to do manual labor in the heat, and making them jump into a cactus. They also told the children they were possessed and needed to repent for their sins.
The abuse was motivated by their religious beliefs, as stated by Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke.
“The defendants appear to have fully believed that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children to properly repent for imagined ‘sins’ and to purify their bodies of evil spirits…Hildebrandt regularly stated that God communicated directly with her and provided her with instructions. Franke accepted Hildebrandt as her leader and followed her guidance.”
During the sentencing hearing, state prosecutor Eric Clarke likened the conditions Ruby Franke’s children were subjected to as being akin to a “concentration camp-like setting.” He also deemed Hildebrandt a “significant threat” to the community.
Both women spoke in court before being sentenced. Hildebrandt said she would respect the state’s decision on the duration of their sentence.
Franke admitted to harming her children and thanked the public safety officials who saved them. She said,
“My charges are justified. They offer safety to my family, accountability to the public.”
According to KUTV, Franke and Hildebrandt are facing a series of four prison terms, which will be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. Each term could range from one to 15 years.
Ruby Franke’s husband, Kevin Franke, has filed for divorce. He now has custody of their six children, who are receiving therapy and support.
Franke’s YouTube channel, which had over 2.5 million subscribers, was criticized for its harsh parenting methods before the criminal charges were filed. The channel stopped uploading videos since 2023.
