Who is Ruby Franke? The true story of the abusive parenting influencer covered in harrowing Disney+ series

Cosmopolitan

05-06-2025

She was once a hugely popular parenting influencer who attracted over two million followers and numerous brand details.
However, Ruby Franke's fame merely disguised abuse against her own children that has since been described as "horrific and inhumane".
The 42-year-old gained a significant online following fronting her '8 Passengers' YouTube channel, where she shared parenting tips and general day-to-day life with her husband, Kevin, and their six children.
The channel, launched in 2015, gained 2.3 million followers before it was shut down in 2023.
Alongside business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, the pair admitted to four counts of aggravated child abuse. Franke was sentenced to four consecutive prison terms of 1 to 15 years.
Now, a documentary on Disney+ details the horrors that the family were subjected to.
The Utah native gained a significant following as a YouTuber, with 8 Passengers discussing life with her six children.
Ruby and husband Kevin also discussed their faith as Mormons, and home-schooling.
The channel courted controversy; Ruby was criticised by viewers after one video saw Ruby's eldest son reveal he slept on a beanbag for seven months as 'punishment' for teasing his brother.
Ruby defended her actions at the time; in an interview with Insider, she claimed her son chose to sleep on a beanbag instead of an airbed.
Her style of discipline came under further criticism after one video saw her threaten to throw away her children's toys, and for not giving them any privacy or personal space.
The 8 Passengers channel has since been deleted and in a statement issued to TIME magazine, a spokesperson for YouTube wrote: 'We can confirm that we have terminated two channels linked to Ruby Franke in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines. Additionally, Ruby Franke will no longer be able to use, own, or create any other YouTube channels, in accordance with the repeat infringer policy in our Terms of Service.'
In August 2023, Ruby's 12-year-old son was staying with Ruby and her business partner, Jodi Hilderbrant.
He managed to escape out a window and ran to a neighbour's house, before asking them to call the police.
His appearance was described as thin, and was reportedly covered in wounds. He also had duct tape around his legs and wrists.
He reportedly told officers that his wounds had been dressed with cayenne pepper.
Ruby was arrested alongside Jodi, and both were charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse.
In December, both pleaded guilty to four of the counts, with the plea deal accepted by prosecutors.
Jodi was also charged alongside Ruby. The pair were friends and business partners, and had met at church (they were both Mormons).
Having initially trained as a mental health counsellor, the 55-year-old's focus shifted onto her life-coaching programme ConneXions. After counselling the Frankes, who were having marital problems, Ruby started working alongside Jodi on an Instagram post called Moms of Truth.
Jodi even briefly lived with the Frankes until early 2022. After that time, Ruby and her two youngest children moved to Jodi's Utah home.
Jodi agreed to plead guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse in December 2023.
After the plea deal, details emerged around the extent of Ruby's abusive behaviour towards her two youngest children.
Ruby admitted assaulting her son by forcing him into hours of physical tasks and outdoor work between May and August without sufficient drinking water.
The boy also suffered serious sunburns that resulted in blisters.
He was forcibly isolated from others, given meagre food, and was not allowed access to books, games or electronics.
After he tried to escape in June, he was regularly bound – on some occasions, even in handcuffs.
Ruby also admitted to kicking her son while wearing boots, holding his head under water and smothering his mouth and nose with her hands
Her youngest daughter was forced to work outside, run barefoot, and go without food and water.
Ruby reportedly told her children that they were 'evil' and the punishments 'were necessary for them to be obedient and repent'.
In Utah, aggravated child abuse is defined as an act that "inflicts upon a child serious physical injury" or "causes or permits another to inflict serious physical injury upon a child"– with each count carrying a sentence of up to 15 years.
None of Ruby's children attended the sentencing, but she did address them with an emotional plea.
"I'll never stop crying for hurting your tender souls," she said.
"My willingness to sacrifice all for you was masterfully manipulated into something very ugly. I took from you all that was soft and safe and good.
"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 added after sentencing: "It is important to me to demonstrate my remorse and regret without blame. I take full accountability for my choices, and it is my preference that I serve a prison sentence."
Ruby is thought to now be pursuing a degree while serving her sentence at the Utah State Correctional Facility. Her first parole hearing will take place in December 2026.
Meanwhile, Jodi said at her hearing: "One of the reasons I did not go to trial is because I did not want [the children] to emotionally relive the experience which would have been detrimental to them. My hope and prayer is that they will heal and move forward to have beautiful lives."
Kevin, who filed for divorce from Ruby in December, has since distanced himself from his ex-wife.
A lawyer for Kevin said the couple had been living separately for 13 months and Kevin Franke was "distraught" after hearing about the alleged abuse in an interview with Good Morning America.
"No one's ever made any allegations that he's ever physically abused those kids, or anyone else," the attorney told the programme.
The four younger siblings, aged between 11 and 17, were in care in 2014 according to a report in the Salt Lake Tribune.
Kevin was reportedly granted custody of his children in March 2025, per People.
Ruby's older daughter, Shari, has since spoken out about what life was like. The 22-year-old previously cut ties with her family in 2022.
Upon news of Ruby's conviction, Shari wrote and then deleted an Instagram post which read "finally". In another post, she wrote: "Me and my family are so glad justice is being served."
In January 2025, Shari released a book providing insight to life with Ruby. In The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom, Shari recalls that Ruby was always tough on her and her siblings.
"Anything less than unbridled enthusiasm would trigger Ruby into a rage," Shari writes, in an excerpt shown to The Guardian. "One hint of displeasure on my face, and whack! … But no matter how much I twisted and turned, no matter how much I achieved or accomplished, it would never be enough. There would always be some new hoop to jump through, some new standard to meet."
Shari is now also campaigning against family vlogging and the potential impact on children. "I've witnessed the damage of what happens when your life is put online," Shari told People. "There's no ethical way to do it."
Chad, 20, has also vocally criticised his mother. A report from Page Six suggested he was seen leaving the courtroom smiling after Ruby was sentenced.
In August last year, he took to Snapchat, writing: "Happy Prisonversary" and sharing a picture of his mother before she was arrested.
The docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is available to watch now on Disney +.
Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.