Mom of 6 Who Gave Parenting Advice to Millions Is Sentenced to Prison for Child Abuse

A once-trusted online guide to family life faces justice after her own household's dark secrets are exposed. The shocking discovery came to light following a daring escape by her son, revealing a stark contrast to the advice millions once followed.

In an unsettling turn of events that has both shocked and captivated millions worldwide, Ruby Franke, once revered as a beacon of parenting wisdom on social media, has been sentenced to prison on charges of aggravated child abuse. Ruby, a 42-year-old mother of six, and Jodi Hildebrandt, a self-improvement counselor, faced legal reckoning for their actions, which came to light in a harrowing manner.

The mom, who was a widely-followed figure online, boasted 2.3 million followers on her now-defunct YouTube channel, "8 Passengers." Behind the facade of her social content, which aimed to guide parents through the trials and tribulations of raising children, things took a dark turn.

According to news reports, Ruby's off-screen life began unraveling when her 12-year-old son, suffering from malnutrition and with wounds bound by duct tape, escaped through a window of Jodi's home in Ivins, Utah, seeking help from a neighbor.

This incident led to Ruby's arrest in August 2023, which subsequently revealed that one of her children, was found in a similar state of neglect. Ruby's eldest daughter, Shari Franke, then 20 years old, cryptically celebrated her mom's arrest with a now-removed Instagram post featuring police officers and the word "Finally."

Both Ruby and Jodi, who had worked on collaborating on content creation for Jodi’s ConneXions life coaching service, admitted guilt to second-degree aggravated child abuse in December last year. At their sentencing, they were each handed four prison terms, ranging from one to 15 years, to be served consecutively. This punishment represents the maximum allowed under Utah law, underscoring the severity of their crimes.

During her sentencing, Ruby offered a remorseful apology to all six of her children — Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve Franke—acknowledging her descent into a spiral of delusion led by what she claimed to be misguidance.

"For the past four years, I’ve chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion. My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me," Ruby lamented.

On the other hand, Jodi, expressing her hopes for the children's recovery, refrained from showing up to trial on account of her claim that she wanted to spare them further trauma, emphasizing her desire for their physical and emotional healing.

This case has reignited discussions on "sharenting," the practice of parents divulging extensive details about their family life online, often for profit. Critics argue this can invade children's privacy and expose them to various risks.

Ruby's extreme disciplinary methods, including denying her children basic needs and gifts from Santa for perceived misbehavior, had previously raised red flags among her audience. Some concerned viewers reported the online personality to child protective services years before her arrest, signaling early warnings of the physical abuse she inflicted on her kids, masked by the veneer of wholesome family life.

Despite the initial allure of Ruby's content, depicting an idyllic Mormon family, discrepancies in her portrayal began to surface, culminating in a decline in popularity and the eventual deletion of her YouTube channel in 2022. Eric Clarke, the prosecuting attorney, underscored the gravity of the children's suffering, stating, "The children were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in, and virtually all forms of entertainment."

In the aftermath of her arrest, four of Ruby's children were placed under child protective services. Through communication from his attorney, Kevin Franke, Ruby's ex-husband and the father of their kids, advocated for the maximum sentencing. The dad, who filed for divorce in December, also made it a point to highlight his wife's abuse targeted toward their children as "horrific and inhumane."

Ruby's case serves as a cautionary tale about the potential disconnect between online personas and reality, raising critical questions about the ethics of "sharenting" and the responsibilities of digital platforms in safeguarding vulnerable individuals.

Read another story about how a mother was sentenced to prison for the abuse and mistreatment of her young sons, who endured shocking living conditions.