Ruby Franke claims she was fooled by 'dark delusions' after being sentenced for child abuse: Latest news

Ruby Franke was once a popular video blogger who gave parenting advice to her millions of followers, but behind the scenes she physically tortured and starved at least two children.

The 41-year-old mother of six, who lives in Utah, pleaded guilty in December to four counts of second-degree child abuse and was sentenced several months later on a series of charges that included forced outdoor labor. admitted to the horrific act. Until the sweltering heat doesn't give them enough water and they develop “blisters.”

She tried to convince the children that they were evil and possessed and needed “punishment” to make them repent. She described the abuse as an “act of love.”

Here are all the abuse allegations against Ruby Franke.

Franke's estranged husband, Kevin Franke, has reportedly filed for guardianship of their 16-year-old daughter, Abby, according to court filings seen by Page Six.

The custody application was filed on February 9th.

Kevin, 45, has taken care of his four minor children, Abby, Julie, 15, and Russell, 12, since Ruby Franke was arrested on child abuse charges in August. They are trying to regain custody of Eve, 10.

After the arrest, the children were placed in the custody of the Utah Department of Children and Family Services.

They also have two adult children, Shari, 20, and Chad, 19, who were present at Tuesday's sentencing hearing for the disgraced Eight Passengers host. There is.

Her business partner, Jody Hildebrandt, was also charged and sentenced.

Kevin filed a motion demanding that Hildebrandt be financially responsible for his continued treatment, accusing him of causing “aggravated mental and emotional injury.”

“It is clear and acknowledged that the children have suffered immediate and continuing irreparable harm as a result of the crimes committed against them.” [Hildebrandt]” he wrote in the motion.

They also asked a judge to prevent any liquidation or transfer of Hildebrandt's assets, including her home, which was on the market for $5.1 million, so the funds could be used to help her children recover. Page Six reported.

A judge later ruled that Hildebrandt must put aside $100,000 for her children after the sale of her home is completed.

Long before her arrest in 2023, Ruby Franke was already a polarizing figure in video blogging circles.

Ruby Franke and her husband Kevin Franke created a YouTube channel called “8 Passengers,” but the channel has been shut down and deleted.

The parents were criticized online for certain parenting decisions, such as banning their eldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother.

In other videos, Franke shows him refusing to take a kindergartener's lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home, and threatening to cut off the head of a stuffed animal to punish a girl who cut things in the house. He talked about things like that.

Kevin Franke then filed for divorce.

Before he was sentenced Tuesday, Franke tearfully apologized for his abuse of the children.

“To my babies, my six little chicks. You are a part of me,” the former YouTuber said.

“I was the mama duck who was always waddling you to safety. I now see that for the past four years, I had been falling into a deep undercurrent that was leading us into danger.”

According to arrest records, on the morning of Aug. 30, 2023, Ruby Franke's 12-year-old son climbed through the window of Jodi Hildebrandt's home, fled the property and went to a neighbor's house for food and water. I ran over.

Santa Clara Ivins Public Safety said the caller told authorities the child appeared to be “haggard” and “malnourished,” had open wounds and “had duct tape wrapped around his extremities.”

The boy suffered “deep lacerations” from being “tied up with rope,” according to arrest records. Authorities said the 12-year-old boy's condition was “very serious” and he was evaluated by paramedics and taken to hospital.

When police arrived at the home and searched it, they found another child, a 10-year-old girl, suffering from “similar malnutrition and poor health” and was rushed to hospital for treatment. Ta.

The Santa Clara Ivins Department of Public Safety said the Department of Children and Family Services was contacted and the four minor children were taken into the department's custody.

Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested the same day and later charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse.

The affidavit acknowledges that two days before the incident, “Ruby Franke was seen in a YouTube video filmed downstairs at Mr. Hildebrandt's home,” adding that the women “were in the home, abused, malnourished, etc.” “Knew about child abandonment.''

According to warrant details, the 12-year-old boy later told police that Hildebrandt would put cayenne pepper and honey on the wounds he made when he was tied up with rope.

The warrant also states that officers found “Scott tape and Saran wrap,” as well as documents, notes, a diary, two bowls of red liquid with metal spoons, two highly absorbent bandages, and four white ankle bandages. It was also revealed that two “Koban bandages'' with tags were found. Socks, three sets of “brown and white rope,” two handcuffs, and three carabiners.

Officers also found a “potential safe room” in the basement of Hildebrandt's home, records said.

Ruby Franke's parents issued a written statement ahead of Tuesday's sentencing, arguing that she became a different person after seeking a therapist to help one of their children.

That therapist was Jodi Hildebrandt, who became her mentor in 2020.

“We noticed a change in Ruby's mindset in the summer of 2020, and by the fall, she had severed all ties with us, her siblings, and close friends,” her parents wrote.

“For three years, during our brief communication with her, she accused us of things that never happened, or grossly exaggerated events that did. She was delusional. We didn't recognize her because we were so deeply brainwashed.”

After his arrest, Franke returned to his normal self, writing that he was “grateful to have been imprisoned and felt that the powerful wake-up call was a great blessing.”

“As her mother and father, we ask that you show her all the mercy you can. Hopefully, in time she will have a relationship with her children and they will realize that she once was their mother. You will remember and find it in your heart to forgive her, and this will be the greatest healing balm for your children.”

Ruby Frank's younger children were not present, but her older children, Shari and Chad, were present at the sentencing, according to a local reporter who was in the courtroom.

At a press conference after the hearing, a reporter said the two children were “grinning and looking shocked” when Jodi Hildebrandt said she loved her abusive brother. Ta.

Before being sentenced, Hildebrandt told the court:

“I love these children with all my heart. I want them to heal physically and mentally. One of the reasons I didn't go to court was because they had a harmful experience.” My hope and prayer is that they heal and move forward to live a beautiful life.”

Hildebrandt's lawyer, Douglas Terry, told reporters: “It doesn't surprise me, but… she was truthful in that statement.”

Prosecutor Eric Clark said Ruby Franke's children were being kept in a “concentration camp-like environment,” detailing disturbing details in court Tuesday at the momfluencer's sentencing.

“Children were regularly denied food, water, a bed to sleep in, and virtually any form of entertainment,” he said. “They were isolated from others and hidden when people came to visit…Children…climbed up and down stairs, sat on walls, leaned on chairs and walls. They were forced to do physical tasks such as sitting and carrying boxes…to defecate for hours at a time.”

He continued, “They were also forced to do manual labor outdoors and in the extreme summer heat, sometimes without shoes or socks. They had to stand in the courtyard for hours, sometimes days. They were beaten… Both children suffered severe injuries from the abuse and required hospitalization when they were discovered. 12 Bondage injuries to young boys are particularly severe.”

“If the older children hadn't had the courage to run away and ask the neighbors to call the police, only God knows how long they could have lived in that situation.”