Ruby Franke’s family say she was ‘brainwashed’ as she’s sentenced over child abuse
’Momfluencer’ Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt both face up to 60 years in prison
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Ruby Franke’s family wrote letters to a Utah judge ahead of the former vlogger’s sentencing over child abuse, saying that she was “deeply brainwashed” after meeting her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt.
“She was delusional. She was so deeply brainwashed we could not recognize her,” they wrote as they pleaded for mercy.
“During her career on YouTube, she often told me that her desire was to spread the message that ‘mothers are important and that mothers have strength in nurturing their children,’” Franke’s brother, Beau Griffiths, said in a written statement.
“I never had any concern for her and her children, and I was impressed with how generous and kind she has always been to my own children.”
“Many of the teachings from the Connexions program were reasonable and good,” his statement continued. “Unfortunately, as I later discovered, that is what made the program so dangerous.”
But the judge decided to give Franke, along with Hildebrandt, four consecutive prison terms for the child abuse charges they pleaded guilty to in December.
In a tearful statement made in court, Franke claimed she had been deceived by a “dark delusion.”
The mother-of-six was once a YouTube sensation, drawing in millions of subscribers to her channel where she offered parenting advice. But her reputation unravelled when she and Hildebrandt were arrested in August 2023 after one of Franke’s sons escaped Hildebrandt’s home.
In a harrowing 911 call, the neighbour said: “I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door asking for help.
“And he’s said he had just come from a neighbor’s house and we know there’s been problems at this neighbor’s house.”
The neighbour added: “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”
The malnourished boy later said that Hildebrandt put cayenne pepper and honey on their wounds that were caused by being tied with the rope, according to arrest warrants.
Franke and Hildebrandt have 30 days to appeal the judge’s decision.
Now, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will consider their behavior while incarcerated and determine how much of that time each will spend behind bars.
Where are Ruby Franke’s children now?
Franke’s estranged husband Kevin Franke reportedly filed for a guardianship over their 16-year-old daughter, Abby, according to court filings viewed by Page Six.
The request for custody was submitted on 9 February.
Kevin, 45, has been trying to regain custody of his four minor children, Abby, Julie, 15, Russell, 12, and Eve, 10, since the Ruby Franke was arrested in August for child abuse.
The children were put in the care of Utah’s Department of Child and Family Services following the arrest.
They also share two adult children, Shari, 20, and Chad, 19, who were at the disgraced “8 Passengers” host’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday.
Her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt was also charged and sentenced.
Kevin filed a motion requesting Hildebrandt be financially responsible for their ongoing medical care, as she caused “aggravated psychological and emotional injuries.”
“It is clear and admitted that the children suffered immediate and continuing irreparable harm as a result of the crimes perpetrated upon them by [Hildebrandt],” he wrote in the motion.
He also asked the judge to prevent the liquidation or transfer of Hildebrandt’s assets, including her house, which was listed for sale for $5.1 million, so the funds could be made available for his kids’ recovery, Page Six reported.
A judge later ruled that Hildebrandt must set aside $100,000 for the children after the sale of her home is finalized.
All the abuse allegations against Ruby Franke
Ruby Franke was once a popular vlogger who gave parenting advice to her millions of followers – but behind the scenes, she was physically torturing and starving at least two of her children.
The 41-year-old Utah mother of six, who pleaded guilty in December to four counts of second-degree child abuse and months later was sentenced for her crimes, admitted to a slew of horrific acts that included forcing them to work outside in the sweltering heat without adequate water until they “blistered”.
She tried to convince her children that they were evil and possessed and that the “punishments” were necessary to repent. She described the abuse as “acts of love”.
Here’s all the abuse allegations against Ruby Franke:
All the abuse allegations against disgraced YouTuber Ruby Franke
The mother of six pleaded guilty to four charges of second-degree aggravated child abuse
Ruby Franke tells court ‘I am committed to unlearning my toxic behavior’
A judge sentenced the disgraced YouTuber and Hildebrandt, 54, to the terms of their plea — four counts of one to 15 years, served consecutively.
However, Ruby will serve up to 30 years maximum, as a Utah law caps prison time on consecutive sentences.
“I am humbled and willing to serve a prison sentence for as long as I need,” Franke told the judge. She has already admitted to abusing the children.
“I am committed to unlearning my toxic behavior.”
Bodycam shows moment neighbours learn Ruby Franke allegedly kept children in ‘safe’
Police bodycam footage shows the moment a neighbour of Ruby Franke found out that the YouTube parenting influencer had been allegedly keeping her children in a ‘safe.’
The neighbour, Pam Bodtcher, was visibly shocked when told about the child abuse.
Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were sentenced Tuesday to four to 60 years in prison.
What did Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt do?
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were reportedly business partners before they were arrested on child abuse charges in August.
They tried to convince her children that they were evil and possessed and that the “punishments” were necessary to repent. Franke described the abuse as “acts of love”.
Franke admitted to forcing her son into long hours of physical tasks, working outside in the summer without shoes or adequate water. He received “repeated and serious sunburns” that blistered after he was “forced to stand in the direct sunlight for several days.”
The boy was denied sufficient food, and when given food he was given very plain meals while others in the house ate regular and more flavorful meals, according to the plea agreement.
Franke also admitted to kicking her son while wearing boots, holding his head under water and “cutting off oxygen by placing her hands over his mouth and nose.”
Ropes were used to tie together handcuffs that secured his hands and feet as he lay on his stomach, lifting his arms and legs off the ground and injuring his wrists and ankles, the plea agreement stated.
Franke said she was under the influence of her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt.
Hildebrandt has admitted to coercing Franke’s youngest daughter, who was 9 at the time, to jump into a cactus multiple times and run barefoot on dirt roads until her feet blistered.
The boy and girl were taken to the hospital after the arrests and placed in state custody along with two more of their siblings.
While Franke has shown remorse and cooperated with attorneys, prosecutor Eric Clarke said Tuesday, Hildebrandt has not and continues to place blame on the children.
Parents of Ruby Franke say she was ‘deeply brainwashed’ after meeting Jodi Hildebrandt
Ruby Franke’s parents provided a written statement prior to the sentencing on Tuesday that claimed she was a different person after she sought out a therapist to help one of her children.
That therapist was Jodi Hildebrandt, who became her mentor in 2020.
“We noticed a shift in Ruby’s thinking the summer of 2020 and by that fall she cut all ties to us, her siblings, and close friends,” her parents wrote.
“For three years what brief communications we had with her she accused us of either things that never happen or she grossly exaggerated the events that did. She was delusional. She was so deeply brainwashed we could not recognize her.”
Following her arrest, Franke became herself again, they said, writing that “she expressed her gratitude for being incarcerated and felt the mighty wakeup call was a huge blessing.”
“As her mother and father, we plead with you to show her as much mercy as you possibly can. Hopefully in time she will have a relationship with her children and they will remember the mother she once was to them and will find it in their hearts to forgive her, this would be the greatest healing balm of all for them.”
Ruby Franke’s brother claims ‘Jodi Hildebrandt was the catalyst’ of abuse
Franke’s brother, Beau Griffiths, submitted a written statement claiming that Jodi Hildebrandt was the catalyst of the abuse they inflicted on the children.
“During her career on YouTube, she often told me that her desire was to spread the message that ‘mothers are important and that mothers have strength in nurturing their children,’” he wrote.
“I never had any concern for her and her children, and I was impressed with how generous and kind she has always been to my own children.”
“Many of the teachings from the Connexions program were reasonable and good,” his statement continued. “Unfortunately, as I later discovered, that is what made the program so dangerous.”
Listen to the chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest
A 911 call reveals the chilling details of the incident that led to Youtube influencer Ruby Franke’s arrest, when her 12-year-old child sought food and water from a neighbor.
Ms Franke’s child, who was reportedly also in the care of her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, “climbed out of the window AND ran to a neighbor’s home” on 30 August.
The child reportedly showed up at the neighbor’s home with “duct tape” covering his ankles and wrists as he begged for food and water.
Alarmed, the neighbor called the police.
“I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door asking for help,” the neighbor says, according to a recording.
“And he’s said he had just come from a neighbor’s house and we know there’s been problems at this neighbor’s house,” the person said.
The neighbor continued, “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”
“He has duct tape around each ankle. There’s sores around them. He has them around his wrists as well,” the neighbor told 911. His voice shaky and distraught, the neighbor continued: “This kid has obviously... he’s been detained. He’s obviously covered in wounds.”
Ruby Franke’s son jokes about mother being jailed in TikTok post
Ruby Franke’s son joked about his mother being jailed for child abuse in a post on TikTok, prior to her sentencing on a string of charges.
Chad Franke shared a TikTok of himself dancing and smiling along with the caption: “My mom’s in prison.”
The TikTok video showed Chad alongside his girlfriend whose caption read “You’d love my mom!”
In response, Chad is seen smiling and dancing as his caption reads “My mom’s in prison.”
On Tuesday, Chad was in Utah’s 5th District Court along with his sister, Shari, on Tuesday as their mother sobbed as she apologised to her younger children for abusing them in what prosecutors called a ‘concentration camp-like setting.’
What’s next for Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt?
Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt have been sentenced to four consecutive prison terms for the child abuse charges they pleaded guilty to in December.
The prison terms could range from one to 15 years each.
However, the women will only serve up to 30 years in prison due to a Utah state law that caps the sentence duration for consecutive penalties.
The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will consider their behavior while incarcerated and determine how much of that time each will spend behind bars.
Franke and Hildebrandt have 30 days to appeal the decision.
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