Ruby Franke’s Shocking Fall: How the 8 Passengers Mom Was Exposed as a Child Abuser

Ruby Franke, the Utah mom behind the now-defunct family YouTube channel “8 Passengers”, was arrested on August 30, 2023, on two counts of aggravated child abuse, along with her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt. The arrest came after authorities found two malnourished and wounded children with duct tape on their extremities at Hildebrandt’s residence in Ivins, Utah. Four other minors were taken into the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services following a search of the home.

Ruby Franke’s rise and fall as a family vlogger

Ruby Franke rose to fame in 2015 through her YouTube channel “8 Passengers”, which featured her husband Kevin Franke, and their six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve. The channel had a following of nearly 2.3 million subscribers before it was taken down earlier this year. It’s unclear why the channel was removed from YouTube.

The Frankes’ strict parenting style has been criticized by some viewers and reported to authorities on several occasions. Some of the controversial incidents include:

• Locking their son Chad in the basement for months as a punishment for breaking his phone.
• Forcing their daughter Abby to sleep on a bean bag chair for a year because she wet the bed.
• Leaving their son Russell behind at a rest stop during a road trip.
• Taking away their children’s Christmas presents and birthday parties as discipline measures.
• Starving their children and making them eat expired food.
• Forcing her son Russell to wear diapers at night even though he was potty trained.
• Making her daughter Julie cut her hair short after she got gum stuck in it.
• Ignoring her daughter Eve’s cries for help when she was injured by a dog.
• Leaving her children alone at home or in the car while she went shopping or to the gym.
• Shaming her children for their weight, appearance, or behavior.

Ruby Franke defended her parenting choices as being based on the teachings of ConneXions, a life counseling service run by Jodi Hildebrandt. ConneXions has been accused of being a cult-like organization that promotes abusive and manipulative practices, such as prioritizing the group’s “principles of truth” over one’s children, shaming and blaming victims of abuse, and isolating followers from their families and friends.

Ruby Franke’s arrest and the shocking discovery of child abuse

According to a press release from the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department, the police received a report about a juvenile in need of help at 10:50 a.m. on August 30, 2023. The juvenile was described as “emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds and duct tape around the extremities.” The press release said

The condition of the juvenile was so severe that they were seen by Santa Clara-Ivins EMS and transported to a local area hospital.

Evidence led officers to a nearby home where another juvenile was found in a similar condition and taken to a local hospital for treatment, the release said. Four minors were taken into the care of the Department of Child and Family Services following a search of the home where the emaciated juveniles were found.

Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were then arrested in connection with the incident, the release said. The two are still in custody, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.

The identities and ages of the abused children have not been disclosed, but some sources have speculated that they are Ruby Franke’s children or relatives. A Reddit user claimed that Ruby Franke’s husband Kevin was also arrested on similar charges, but this has not been confirmed by official sources.

Ruby Franke’s reaction and public backlash

Ruby Franke has not issued any statement or apology regarding her arrest or the allegations of child abuse. She has deleted her Instagram account @rubyfranke, where she used to post updates about her family and ConneXions. She also runs another Instagram account @moms_of_truth with Jodi Hildebrandt, where they share parenting and relationship advice based on ConneXions’ philosophy. The account has been flooded with negative comments from angry and disgusted followers.

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Ruby Franke’s daughter Shari, who is 20 years old and no longer lives with her parents, posted a video on her Instagram account @sharifranke on September 1, 2023, saying that “justice is being served” and asking for any evidence or information that could help with the investigation.

“I’m sorry for everything that has happened,” she said. “I’m sorry for everyone who has been hurt by this.”

Shari also thanked her supporters and said that she was safe and happy with her boyfriend.

Many former fans of Ruby Franke have expressed their shock and outrage over her arrest and the discovery of child abuse. Some have also expressed their sympathy and concern for her children and hoped that they would recover from their trauma.

What are the possible consequences for Franke?

Franke is currently being held at the Washington County Jail on a $100,000 bail. She has not entered a plea yet and has requested a lawyer. She is scheduled to appear in court on September 15.

If convicted of aggravated child abuse, Franke could face up to 15 years in prison for each count. She could also lose custody of her children permanently.

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