Latest news with #8Passengers'
Cosmopolitan
5 days ago
- Cosmopolitan
Who is Ruby Franke? The true story of the abusive parenting influencer covered in harrowing Disney+ series
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.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah passes new protections for children of influencers after Ruby Franke case
Utah on Tuesday passed new protections for children of social media influencers after the child abuse conviction of former YouTube star Ruby Franke. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law that gives kids a way to remove media they are featured in from the internet. It also orders parents who make more than $150,000 off the content annually to set aside 15 percent of those earnings into a trust fund that the children can access once they turn 18 years old. Cox signed the law under encouragement from Franke's now ex-husband, Kevin, after he told lawmakers earlier this year that he wishes he never let his ex-wife post their children online, The Associated Press reported. 'Children cannot give informed consent to be filmed on social media, period,' he said. 'Vlogging my family, putting my children into public social media, was wrong, and I regret it every day.' Kevin and Ruby Franke launched a family YouTube channel titled '8 Passengers' in 2015. Ruby Franke documented their life as a Mormon family in Utah and became close with parenting content creator Jodi Hildebrandt, who encouraged her to cut off ties with Kevin Franke and move the youngest two children into her home. Ruby Franke's 12-year-old son, who was emaciated, escaped through a window and knocked on a neighbor's door. The two women were arrested on child abuse charges. The eldest child detailed his mother's obsession with 'striking content gold' and looking for views on videos at the expense of her children. The new Utah law applies to children who are featured in online content as well as those who appear in TV or movies. Eve Franke, 11, who police found emaciated with her head shaved, wrote a letter in support of the bill and noted that sometimes YouTube is a good thing that 'brings us together,' but 'kids deserve to be loved, not used by the ones that are supposed to love them the most,' The Associated Press reported. Several other states have taken steps to protect children from online exploitation in the content-creation industry, including Illinois, California and Minnesota, where children's earnings are protected. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
26-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Utah passes new protections for children of influencers after Ruby Franke case
Utah on Tuesday passed new protections for children of social media influencers after the child abuse conviction of former YouTube star Ruby Franke. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law that gives kids a way to remove media they are featured in from the internet. It also orders parents who make more than $150,000 off the content annually to set aside 15 percent of those earnings into a trust fund that the children can access once they turn 18 years old. Cox signed the law under encouragement from Franke's now ex-husband, Kevin, after he told lawmakers earlier this year that he wishes he never let his ex-wife post their children online, The Associated Press reported. 'Children cannot give informed consent to be filmed on social media, period,' he said. 'Vlogging my family, putting my children into public social media, was wrong, and I regret it every day.' Kevin and Ruby Franke launched a family YouTube channel titled '8 Passengers' in 2015. Ruby Franke documented their life as a Mormon family in Utah and became close with parenting content creator Jodi Hildebrandt, who encouraged her to cut off ties with Kevin Franke and move the youngest two children into her home. Ruby Franke's 12-year-old son, who was emaciated, escaped through a window and knocked on a neighbor's door. The two women were arrested on child abuse charges. The eldest child detailed his mother's obsession with 'striking content gold' and looking for views on videos at the expense of her children. The new Utah law applies to children who are featured in online content as well as those who appear in TV or movies. Eve Franke, 11, who police found emaciated with her head shaved, wrote a letter in support of the bill and noted that sometimes YouTube is a good thing that 'brings us together,' but 'kids deserve to be loved, not used by the ones that are supposed to love them the most,' The Associated Press reported. Several other states have taken steps to protect children from online exploitation in the content-creation industry, including Illinois, California and Minnesota, where children's earnings are protected.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What Ruby Franke, Kevin Franke Agreed to in Divorce Settlement
Originally appeared on E! Online Ruby Franke and Kevin Franke are going down separate paths. More than a year after the disgraced '8 Passengers' YouTuber was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison alongside colleague for child abuse, she and her husband have finalized their divorce, according to KSL-TV Utah. Per the outlet, District Judge Roger Griffin signed the couple's divorce decree March 20, granting Kevin sole custody of the couple's four children who are still minors. (They are also parents to Shari, 21, and Chad, 20.) Ruby, meanwhile, has been ordered to have no contact with them, per an order from the 4th District Juvenile Court obtained by KSL-TV. And while typically child support is paid in a full custody agreement, Kevin agreed to 'consider any child support payments owed to him by Ruby Franke already paid,' per KSL-TV. Kevin will also retain ownership of the couple's home Springville Utah, along with a 2.8 acre-property in Scofield, Carbon County. More from E! Online Married with Children Actress Cindyana Santangelo Dead at 58 Resort Where Brett Gardner's Son Miller Died Breaks Silence Katie Thurston Fears Cancer Has Reached Stage 4, Treatment Paused After Spots Found on Liver Ruby will keep $85,000 that she withdrew from accounts after her initial separation from her ex husband in 2022 but all other financial assets in her name will be reallocated to Kevin. Neither party requested any additional alimony. Although the couple had been living apart since September 2022, Kevin filed for divorce in December 2023, three months after she was arrested. Ruby and Jodi pleaded guilty to child abuse charges last year after the 43-year-old's two youngest children were found emaciated and abused in their care. Utah state prosecutor Eric Clarke claimed that the women had 'committed horrible acts of child abuse.' In February, Kevin—who married Ruby in 2000—told People that he and Ruby were close to reaching a divorce settlement, and that he had cut off all contact with her in the last year. 'The last letter that I received from her from prison was maybe in March or April of last year,' he told the outlet. 'And then I requested the Department of Corrections to ask her to stop writing me." Kevin admitted he was still 'very angry' with his wife. 'I didn't want to hear anymore,' he added. 'I didn't like what she was saying. It just didn't feel right and it didn't feel good.' Keep reading for more information on Ruby's troubling case. Aug. 30, 2023: Children Found MalnourishedAug. 30, 2023: ArrestAug. 31, 2023: Ruby's Daughter Speaks OutAug. 31, 2023: Ruby's Sisters React to ArrestSept. 6, 2023: Charges FiledSept. 6, 2023: Kevin Franke Breaks SilenceNov. 29, 2023: Kevin Files for DivorceDec. 18: Guilty PleasFeb. 20, 2024: Prison SentencingFeb. 20, 2024: Ruby ApologizesMarch 25, 2024: Ruby's Diary RevealedMarch 25, 2024: Kevin's Interview With Authorities Becomes Public For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
NBC News
26-03-2025
- NBC News
Utah adds protections for child influencers following YouTuber Ruby Franke's child abuse conviction
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah on Tuesday added new protections for the children of online content creators following the child abuse conviction of Ruby Franke, a mother of six who dispensed parenting advice to millions on YouTube before her arrest in 2023. Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law under the encouragement of Franke's now ex-husband that gives adults a path to scrub from all platforms the digital content they were featured in as minors and requires parents to set aside money for kids featured in content. Kevin Franke told lawmakers in February that he wished he had never let his ex-wife post their children's lives online and use them for profit. 'Children cannot give informed consent to be filmed on social media, period,' he said. 'Vlogging my family, putting my children into public social media, was wrong, and I regret it every day.' The Frankes launched the now-defunct '8 Passengers' channel on YouTube in 2015 and began chronicling daily life as a seemingly tight-knit Mormon family in Springville, Utah. With its large nuclear families and religious lifestyles, the state is a hotbed for the lucrative family blogging industry. The reality show 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' brought widespread attention to a group of Utah-based Mormon moms and TikTok creators known as 'MomTok' who create videos about their families and faith. The content-creation industry is largely unregulated, but several states have added certain safeguards in recent years. Illinois, California and Minnesota have enacted laws protecting the earnings of young creators, and Minnesota's law includes a similar provision to Utah's that allows content featuring minors to be taken down. Son's escape from home leads to investigation The Franke children were featured prominently in videos posted up to five times a week to an audience of 2.5 million in 2010. Two years later, Ruby Franke stopped posting to the family channel and began creating parenting content with therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, who encouraged her to cut contact with Kevin Franke and move her two youngest children into Hildebrandt's southern Utah home. The women were arrested on child abuse charges after Ruby Franke's emaciated 12-year-old son Russell escaped through a window and knocked on a neighbor's door. The neighbors noticed his ankles wrapped in bloody duct tape and called 911. Officers then found 9-year-old Eve, the youngest Franke child, sitting cross-legged in a dark closet in Hildebrandt's house with her hair buzzed off. The women were each sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. In handwritten journal entries, Ruby Franke insists repeatedly that her son is possessed by the devil and describes months of daily abuse that included starving her children and forcing them to work for hours in the summer heat without protection. The boy told investigators that Hildebrandt had used rope to bind his limbs to weights on the ground and dressed his wounds with cayenne pepper and honey, according to the police report. Hoping to strike 'content gold' In a memoir published after her mother's arrest, Shari, the eldest child, described how Ruby Franke's obsession with 'striking content gold' and chasing views led her to view her children as employees who needed to be disciplined, rather than children who needed to be loved. Shari wrote that her mother directed the children 'like a Hollywood producer' and subjected them to constant video surveillance. She has called herself a 'victim of family vlogging' and alluded in her book to early signs of abuse from her mother, including being slapped for disobedience when the now 22-year-old was 6. Under the Utah law, online creators who make more than $150,000 a year from content featuring children will be required to set aside 15% of those earnings into a trust fund that the kids can access when they turn 18. Parents of child actors appearing in TV or film projects will also be required to place a portion of their earnings in a trust. As the Utah Legislature was considering the measure, a new Hulu documentary titled 'Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke' reignited interest in the case. At a hearing last month, Kevin Franke read statements in support of the bill written by two of his daughters, ages 16 and 11. He filed for divorce shortly after his wife's arrest and petitioned to regain custody of his children from the state. His lawyer, Randy Kester, did not respond to email and phone messages over the past week seeking to confirm whether Kevin Franke had regained custody in the sealed case. Eve Franke, the youngest child who police found emaciated with her head shaved, wrote in a statement to lawmakers that they had power to protect other kids from exploitation. 'I'm not saying YouTube is a bad thing. Sometimes it brings us together,' she wrote. 'But kids deserve to be loved, not used by the ones that are supposed to love them the most.'
