Ruby Frank update: TikTokers crash virtual court hearing before YouTube influencer held in jail
Mother of six appeared alongside business partner Jodi Hildebrandt accused of abusing and starving her children
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
YouTube parenting influncer Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.
Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September. Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail, but the reasons for her move are unclear.
Over 1,000 people tuned into the hearing and after a cacophony of bizarre noises and pleas to be quiet, the court shut down public access. It transpired later the Zoom link had been shared on TikTok.
The pair were arrested on 30 August after Ms Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed out of a window and pleaded for neighbors to give him food and water, court documents showed.
After a neighbor noticed that duct tape covering the boy’s ankles and wrists, prompting the neighbor to notify law enforcement. In a chilling 911 call, the neighbor can be heard describing the boy: “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”
Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger’s rise to fame before child abuse charges
Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed
Ruby Franke virtual court hearing on child abuse charges is derailed by tech issues as over 1,000 people join- Ruby Franke charging documents reveal son’s chilling escape that led to child abuse arrest
Ruby Franke’s business partner experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue while in jail
Jodi Hildebrandt experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue while at the Washington County Jail and had to be hospitalised The Salt Lake Tribune reported citing new court documents.
LaMar Winward, the lawyer for Ms Hildebrandt’s business partner Ruby Franke filed a motion requesting a special setting to discuss Hildebrandt’s detention status because of her medical issue.
The lawyer also filed a motion requesting an expedited detention hearing for both women since “it is believed both cases should be heard at the same time.”
KUTV reported that Franke was suffering from medical issues and that she was moved into a medical block at the same jail.
Further details of their medical issues are unclear.
Their hearing was set on Friday for 21 September 21. But Franke’s lawyer filed a motion to move the date until after 5 October.
What was Ruby Franke’s blog 8 Passengers?
Ruby Franke was known for sharing her family’s life on their video blog “8 Passengers.”
She and her husband received criticism over their parenting decisions, including banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother.
In one video, Ruby Franke talked about refusing to take lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home. Another showed her threatening to cut the head off a young girl’s stuffed toy to punish her for cutting things in the house.
In one video, Franke said she and her husband told their two youngest children that they would not be getting presents from Santa Claus because they had been selfish and weren’t responding to punishment like being kept home from school and cleaning the floorboards.
“It’s because they’re so numb, and the more numb your child is, the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up,” Franke said in a video.
The blog had 2.3 million followers before it was deleted in 2022.
What are Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt accused of?
Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt are accused of causing or permitting serious injury to the two hospitalised children aged 10 and 12 in three different ways, according to a news release from the Washington County attorney’s office as reported in The Salt Lake City Tribune.
They are said to have harmed the children through a combination of physical injuries or torture; starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life; and by causing severe emotional harm.
Those three alleged forms of abuse, for each of the two children, amounted to the six aggravated child abuse counts that Ms Franke and Ms Hildebrandt each face.
Each count carries a sentence of 1-15 years in prison, and a fine up to $10,000, according to the release.
Neighbor said ‘emaciated’ boy had ‘duct tape’ around his legs in chilling 911 call
A chilling 911 call revealed Ruby Franke’s 12-year-old boy, who was in the care of her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, reportedly showed up at the neighbor’s home with “duct tape” covering his ankles and wrists as he begged for food and water.
“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.”
Read more...
Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed
The child reportedly showed up at the neighbor’s home with “duct tape” covering his ankles and wrists as the he begged for food and water
ICYMI: Ruby Franke held without bail as Friday’s virtual hearing derailed by tech issues
Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges.
But the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing.
Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September.
Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail. On Saturday, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Ms Hildebrandt had experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue and had to be hospitalised.
Ms Franke’s attorney filed a motion to delay the hearing until after 5 October.
Watch: How a child’s escape led to Ruby Franke’s arrest
Who is Ruby Franke?
Ruby Franke, who once operated her own YouTube channel ‘8 passengers’ about the lives of her six children, has been placed under arrest on charges related to child abuse.
Franke first made headlines back in 2015 for her controversial parenting advice that she shared on the YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” which featured her husband Kevin Franke and their children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve.
Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were ordered to be held without bail. Their bond hearings are slated for 21 September.
Read more...
Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger
Franke was arrested with charges related to child abuse
Ruby Franke’s business partner hospitalised after being arrested on child abuse charges
The blogger’s business partner Jodi Hildebrandt experienced a “life-threatening” medical issue while at the Washington County Jail and had to be hospitalised The Salt Lake Tribune reported over the weekend.
Franke’s lawyer LaMar Winward filed a motion requesting an expedited detention hearing for both women since “it is believed both cases should be heard at the same time.”
Their hearing was set on Friday for 21 September 21. But Franke’s lawyer filed a motion to move the date until after 5 October.
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt: Here's what trial could look like
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hidlebrandt both face six felony counts of aggravated child abuse after being arrested when one of Franke’s malnourished children escaped and got help from a neighbor.
Natalie Whittingham-Burrell, a criminal defense attorney, told Insider that prosecutors will likely be able to use their YouTube videos during their trial.
“So if she has a pattern of abusing them, she can’t say, ‘Oh, it was an accident, I didn’t realize that this was abuse,’” she said. "It could show modus operandi - the way of committing a crime.”
The videos could also show a motive, to prove the abuse was intentional, she added.
“It could be the bizarre beliefs that came from the connections classroom,” she said, “It wasn’t accidental, it wasn’t just negligent, it was intentional and knowing abuse on the children.”
Who is Ruby Franke’s husband? Kevin Franke’s lawyer denies his client had any involvement
Ruby Franke’s husband Kevin was not arrested, but he is no stranger to controversy.
In 2020, he faced criticism from their online followers after he and Franke banned one of their children from his own bedroom and forced him to sleep on a beanbag. The punishment was for playing a prank on his brother.
Kevin’s whereabouts on the day of his wife’s arrest remain unclear. But his lawyer Randy Kester, appeared on Good Morning America on 6 September where he said his client played no role in the allegations.
“He is a good person. He is very gentle,” Mr Kester said. “And no one’s ever made any allegations that he’s ever physically abused those kids, or anyone else.”
“He just wants to do what’s best for his kids, get them back, get them under his tutelage and his fathership and protect them.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.