Who is Ruby Franke?
Utah resident Ruby Franke, a mother of six and practicing member of the Mormon faith, co-created the successful YouTube channel 8 Passengers with her husband Kevin Franke.
The channel showcased their family’s experiences with their currently 10 to 20-year-old children, and at its height, accumulated over two million loyal subscribers.
The YouTube channel, 8 Passengers, caused a stir due to its depiction of the children in moments of vulnerability and the perceived strictness of their mother, Franke. Critics accused her of openly mistreating her children, leading to the channel’s removal from the platform in 2023.
Following the removal of the channel, Franke and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt embarked on a new endeavor known as ConneXions Classroom, which centered on mental health and counseling. However, this channel was also taken down following their arrest.
Franke and Hildebrandt have been consistently featured in videos and podcasts together, with their most recent appearance being on Monday. They discuss lessons centered around values, such as blame, control, and denial, while also incorporating insights about family life.
ConneXions’ YouTube channel was taken down after news of the two women’s arrests. It is uncertain whether the company or YouTube was responsible for removing the video.
Ruby Franke’s YouTube Channel
Before Ruby Franke’s arrest, numerous videos and blog posts created by other individuals had already documented multiple instances of what was perceived as toxic conduct.
Some of this backlash specifically targets the overall style of her content, accusing Franke of being just one of many content creators who exploit young children for financial profit without their consent.
Some people were also worried about Franke’s strict parenting methods on 8 Passengers. They accused her of openly mistreating her children in front of a large audience.
In a video uploaded in June 2020, Ruby Franke’s 15-year-old son revealed that he had been sleeping on a beanbag chair for seven months. This was a consequence of being prohibited from sharing a bedroom with his sibling, as a result of his prank on his younger brother where he pretended they were going to Disneyland.
Why was Ruby Franke arrested?
After Ruby Franke‘s 12-year-old son escaped through a window and sought help from Hildebrandt’s neighbors for food and water, they immediately dialed 911.
The child’s ankles were bound with duct tape, and the neighbors were concerned, so they reported the situation to the authorities. The child was then transported to the hospital due to injuries from being restrained with rope.
Upon arrival at the Hildebrandt residence, officers discovered Franke’s 10-year-old daughter, who was reported to be undernourished. Franke’s other two young children were found at their residence and all four minors were subsequently placed in the care of authorities.
The reason for Franke and two children living with Hildebrandt is uncertain. According to residents in the area, they had contacted the authorities multiple times due to worries about the children, who seemed to be unsupervised for weeks.
