The well-known parenting blogger declared that she “thought right was wrong and dark was light.”
Tonight on Channel 5, a brand-new documentary exploring the real tale of Ruby Franke, the well-known parenting YouTuber who was sentenced to up to 60 years in prison in February on numerous charges of child abuse, will premiere.
A 90-minute documentary titled “Abused by Mum: The Ruby Franke Scandal” traces the rise and fall of the well-known influencer who posted family life films and parenting advice online.
The 42-year-old mother of six had 2.3 million subscribers on her since-deleted 8 Passengers YouTube channel at the height of its popularity.
However, concerns expressed by viewers over Franke’s kids’ safety turned out to be the catalyst for her downfall.
The documentary will air on Channel 5 on Monday, May 13 at 10 p.m.
Who is Ruby Franke?
Ruby Franke is a 42-year-old American influencer and former family vlogger from Utah.
Franke, who is married to Kevin and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), is a mother of six children.
Franke started the now-defunct 8 Passengers YouTube channel in 2015, providing a glimpse into her and her family’s daily activities, including cooking, talking, homeschooling, and eating meals together.
Within a year, her channel attracted tens of thousands of viewers, demonstrating the success of the approach.
But some of her parenting strategies frightened her audience.
Franke was heard warning her sons in one video that if they kept fighting, they would “lose the privilege to eat dinner.”
In another, she said that because her six-year-old daughter had forgotten to bring lunch to school, she “needed” to go without food.
She said to the camera, “Hopefully nobody gives her food and nobody steps in and gives her lunch, because then she’s not going to learn.”
In a different video, Franke said that she and her spouse, Kevin, had informed their two youngest children that they would not be getting presents from Father Christmas due to their “selfish” behavior and inability to accept consequences, such as staying home from school and mopping the floors.
Additionally, their 15-year-old son disclosed in a 2020 video that after pulling practical jokes on a sister, his bedroom had been taken away for seven months and that he was now sleeping on a beanbag.
Franke claimed that her kid had demonstrated in the same video that he couldn’t handle a bedroom.
A change.org petition was created in reaction to the mounting worries expressed by certain viewers, expressing anxiety over alleged child abuse and neglect. In a video response, Franke claimed that the events had been misrepresented.
In 2021, the YouTube channel’s popularity decreased.
Ruby and Kevin Franke divorced in 2022, and Kevin left the property.
Ruby closed the 8 Passengers YouTube channel and started working for Jodi Hildebrandt, a counselor, at ConneXions as a mental health coach.
Together, the two created the Moms of Truth Instagram account and a new YouTube channel where they shared parenting advice.
Where is Ruby Franke now?
Franke’s 12-year-old kid knocked on a neighbor’s door in August 2023, requesting food and drink.
He was still wearing duct tape around his ankles after jumping out of a window to flee a nearby house.
The youngster, whose police record stated that he had “deep lacerations from being tied up with rope” and was malnourished, had numerous open wounds and was brought to a nearby hospital.
Ruby Franke was placed under arrest and four of her children were placed in foster care.
Franke’s eldest daughter claimed to have been trying to bring up her estranged family’s issues with authorities for many years when she commented on Instagram that “justice is being served.”
Kevin Franke’s attorney dissociated himself from the accusations of abuse, claiming he was unrelated to them.
Randy Kester said of him on Good Morning America, “He is a good person.”
Subsequently, Mr. Franke stated that he and Ruby were attempting to instill in their kids the values of “living responsibly” and “mastering themselves.”
He continued by demanding that his ex-wife receive the greatest punishment possible and calling the torture his kids had endured “horrific and inhumane.”
Ruby Franke received four sentences ranging from one to fifteen years, with a maximum of sixty years, in February 2024.
Jodi Hildebrandt, her erstwhile business partner, was given the same punishment.
A court filing mentioned an additional instance in which Franke let her son labor outside for several weeks without proper shade, leading to a serious sunburn, and asserted that her kids were possessed.
Franke expressed her regret to her kids at her sentencing. She claimed to have “thought that right was wrong and dark was light.” I would sacrifice everything for you. Everything good, safe, and gentle was taken from you.
“I’ve chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion for the past four years,” she said in court. My tendency to distance myself from those who disagreed with me allowed my warped perception of reality to continue virtually unchecked.”
It was Hildebrandt who wished for the children’s “physical and emotional healing.”
She stated: “I didn’t want them to emotionally recreate the experience, which would have been devastating to them, which is one of the reasons I didn’t go to trial. I pray and hope that they will get better and go on to lead happy, fulfilling lives.
