The arrest of family vlogger Ruby Franke in August 2023 revealed disturbing abuse hidden behind a once-popular YouTube channel. New evidence from Hulu’s February 2024 docuseries “Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” includes journal entries documenting the severe mistreatment of her children under the guise of religious discipline.
The Journal That Documented Torture
Ruby Franke, who pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse alongside her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt in late 2023, kept detailed records of the abuse in her personal journal.
In police evidence shared in the Hulu documentary, an investigator reads directly from Franke’s journal: “Sleep outside, shaved her head, doused her with water, over his nose and mouth, head in the toilet, needs to be painful. Blood on his face, scream and scream.”
Another entry reveals: “I told the boy, he emulates a snake. If he wants to emulate the Savior, he needs to be a hundred percent obedient with exactness. The body must engage in good work and the good works need to be painful. I have the power of God and he must obey.”
After forcing her son into direct sunlight, Franke wrote about returning with a “cactus poker”: “When I poke his back to get in the sun, he doesn’t even flinch. I told him, give your demon friend a message for me. I will not rest. I will not stop. I will not leave. I will fight him until the day you die.”
From YouTube Channel to Criminal Charges
The Franke family started their “8Passengers” YouTube channel in 2015, quickly attracting over 2 million subscribers. The channel featured their strict parenting methods, which raised concerns among viewers even before the arrests.
According to the documentary, Ruby’s relationship with Jodi Hildebrandt, founder of the religious counseling service ConneXions, intensified the family’s problems. Hildebrandt, a former sex therapist who had lost her license, reportedly targeted vulnerabilities within the Mormon community.
The Breaking Point: A Child Escapes
The case became public in August 2023 when Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window from Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah. The boy, described by a neighbor as “emaciated” with visible tape marks around his wrists and ankles, fled to nearby homes seeking help. The neighbor immediately called police.
Authorities subsequently found Franke’s 9-year-old daughter in a similarly malnourished condition at the same residence. Court documents confirmed both children had been subjected to prolonged torture.
Specific Abuse Tactics
Court documents and Franke’s plea agreement detailed the abuse:
- Forcing her 9-year-old daughter Eve to work outdoors without shoes in extreme heat
- Making the child run barefoot on rough dirt roads while denying her food and water
- Repeatedly telling the children they were “evil and possessed” by demons
- Handcuffing her son and holding his head underwater
- Using cayenne pepper and honey on wounds from restraints, causing additional pain
- Forcing her son to perform hours of physical tasks including wall sits and carrying boxes of books up and down stairs
Similar Posts
Family Aftermath
Shari Franke, Ruby’s oldest daughter who is now 21, tried repeatedly to alert authorities about the abuse before the arrests. She stated in the Hulu documentary: “I personally have seen too many crocodile tears from her, and so I can’t say whether she is sorry.”
Kevin Franke, Ruby’s husband who filed for divorce after her arrest, maintains he was unaware of the abuse. During the period when the abuse intensified, Kevin had moved out of the family home at Hildebrandt’s recommendation and cut all contact with his family.
“One of the things that’s been so frustrating for me has been feeling silenced or muzzled—not being able to speak and having people make assumptions that just aren’t accurate,” Kevin told Vanity Fair in 2024. “This is my ability to take control of my own story and speak it in my own words.”
Red Flags Missed
Social workers and police visited the Franke home multiple times over the years following complaints, but no formal charges were filed. According to a 2021 interview with TheWrap, Ruby claimed that CPS officers were impressed with her parenting and “allegedly asked for child-rearing tips before leaving.”
According to Franke’s plea agreement, the abuse dramatically escalated during summer 2023.
Legal Consequences
In February 2024, both Franke and Hildebrandt received identical prison sentences ranging from four to 30 years. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine the specific length of their incarceration.
During her sentencing, Franke told her children, “I will never stop crying for hurting your tender souls.”
In January 2025, Shari told PEOPLE magazine: “Part of me feels guilty if I don’t forgive. But I’ve come to realize that forgiveness for me just means that I don’t let her actions consume my thoughts. I’m still angry about what she did, of course, and that’s never going to go away, but I am living my life and I am not letting her take any more of that from me than she’s already taken.”
In her memoir “The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom,” released in January 2025, Shari further detailed the abuse she and her siblings suffered and her complex feelings toward her estranged mother.
Frequently Asked Questions
What crimes was Ruby Franke convicted of?
Ruby Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse in late 2023. She was sentenced to four consecutive prison terms of one to 15 years, with a maximum of 30 years total. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine her exact release date.
What did Ruby Franke write in her abuse journals?
Franke’s journals contained disturbing details of the abuse, including forcing her children to sleep outside, shaving their heads, dousing them with water, and submerging their heads in toilets. She wrote that the punishment “needs to be painful” and justified the abuse by claiming her children were “possessed by demons” that needed to be expelled.
How was Ruby Franke caught abusing her children?
In August 2023, Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window from Jodi Hildebrandt’s home and ran to a neighbor for help. The neighbor called police after seeing the boy was severely malnourished with tape marks on his wrists and ankles. Police then found Franke’s 9-year-old daughter in similar condition at the same house.
What happened to Ruby Franke’s YouTube channel “8Passengers”?
The “8Passengers” YouTube channel, which had over 2 million subscribers, was shut down after Franke’s arrest in August 2023. The channel had previously drawn criticism for showcasing strict parenting methods, including withholding food as punishment and making a child sleep on a bean bag for seven months.
Who is Jodi Hildebrandt and what was her role in the abuse?
Jodi Hildebrandt was Ruby Franke’s business partner and a former sex therapist who lost her license. She founded ConneXions, a religious counseling service that the documentary suggests exploited vulnerabilities within the Mormon community. Hildebrandt was also arrested and received the same sentence as Franke after pleading guilty to four counts of child abuse.
What has happened to Ruby Franke’s children since her arrest?
After Franke’s arrest, her minor children were placed in state custody. Her eldest daughter Shari, now 21, has spoken out against her mother in the Hulu documentary and published a memoir about her experiences. Kevin Franke, Ruby’s husband, filed for divorce following her arrest and has stated he was unaware of the abuse.
