ST GEORGE, UTAH: Ruby Franke, a popular YouTuber known for her '8 Passengers' channel, was officially charged with child abuse in the Fifth District Court in St. George, Utah, on Friday, September 1.
The 41-year-old mother-of-six faces six counts of felony child abuse after her 12-year-old son was found with open wounds and duct tape on his limbs.
Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were arrested on August 30, with each facing two counts of aggravated child abuse.
The arrest came after Franke's son managed to escape from Hildebrandt's home, where he had been living, and sought help from a neighbor.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by NBC News, the boy was found in an emaciated state, highlighting the severity of the situation.
The condition of Franke's 10-year-old daughter, who was also found in a similar state, added to the distressing discovery.
Hildebrandt herself faces six counts of felony child abuse in Washington County, Utah, with each count carrying a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Full list of charges
Ruby Franke:
-Six counts of felony child abuse.
-Two counts of aggravated child abuse.
Jodi Hildebrandt:
-Six counts of felony child abuse.
As mentioned, each count of felony child abuse carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Upon searching the home, investigators uncovered evidence consistent with the markings found on the juvenile, further substantiating the charges against the two women.
Franke's remaining four children were taken into custody by the Utah Division of Child and Family Services.
The Washington County attorney issued a statement to NBC News suggesting the two women may have caused or permitted "serious physical injury" through a combination of multiple physical injuries or torture, starvation, or malnutrition jeopardizing life, and causing severe emotional harm.
As of Tuesday, September 5, both Franke and Hildebrandt remain in custody, and their next court appearance is scheduled for September 8.
Ruby Franke's YouTube career
Franke initially gained fame on YouTube for her strict parenting style, which attracted over 2.2 million subscribers as she documented her family's day-to-day life, alongside her husband, Kevin.
The pair abruptly stopped uploading videos in January 2022, and the page was later taken down entirely.
When asked about her departure from YouTube, Franke cited her desire to "save her kids" as the reason.
However, her parenting style came under scrutiny in July when a video surfaced in which she allowed her daughter to go hungry after forgetting to prepare her own lunch for school.
Franke defended her decision, emphasizing on her commitment to teaching her children responsibility.
In the wake of Franke's arrest, one of her adult children, Shari, expressed relief and support for the legal action.
Shari took to social media to share her excitement about justice finally being served and expressed gratitude for her siblings' safety.
Meanwhile, Kevin, Franke's husband, was seen outside their home for the first time since the arrests, overseeing the removal of YouTube branding from a van parked outside.
His attorney, Randy S Kester, stated that his main concern was keeping his children together under his care.
Community concerns
Neighbors in the community had raised concerns about the children's well-being, with reports of the children spending hours pulling weeds outside during extreme heat.
"One thing we noticed and we told the police the same thing, six to eight weeks ago when it was really hot I was outside in the late morning, afternoon pulling weeds and over at Jodi's home several kids were also outside her home pulling weeds," a neighbor reportedly said.
"Over the course of the day, the temperature was over 100 degrees and I gave up after a while because it was so hot but I noticed that the kids stayed out there," the neighbor added, per the Daily Mail.
It was noted that after Kevin left the family home, the children appeared to stop attending school.
Additionally, one of the daughters often approached neighbors' homes to play with their children while her siblings were at school.
"She would just knock on your door and say, 'Hi, can your kids play?' And we're like, 'Well, they're at school. They won't be home for three or four hours,'" the neighbor recalled.
"And she'd be like, 'I'll wait.' She's like this lost child," the neighbor further said.
"I'm really angry because I spoke up. Other people spoke up, and nothing happened, another (female) neighbor explained. I want those kids to know that the community loves them and wants them to be safe," they added.
