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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Chilling Footage Inside Home Where Former Mormon Influencer Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Carried Out Heinous Abuse Revealed in New Docuseries
The heinous crimes of former Mormon influencer and are set to be laid bare in an upcoming docuseries that will showcase their 'disturbing' relationship as family members reveal how the pair carried out the shocking abuse inside the former family counselor's home. Investigation Discovery will release 'Ruby and Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' on Sept. 1. The four-part docuseries will dive into the 'motivations' that sparked therapist Hildebrandt to influence mommy vlogger Franke to physically abuse her children inside Hildebrandt's $5 million Utah dwelling. The show, which will air on HBO Max, will shine a light on the ConneXions program, the same program Hildebrandt used to assert her power in the Mormon community and influence the members. It will also offer up shocking police footage of the discovery of Franke's daughter Eve, then 10, who was starved and abused inside a closet. Police arrived at the horrifying scene after Franke's son Russell, then 12, miraculously fled the dwelling and ran to a neighboring home, where security footage showed him asking the residents to give him food. During their search of the property, law enforcement officers discovered torture devices, including rope, handcuffs, and cayenne pepper paste. The series will also present Hildebrandt's niece, Jessi, who will lay bare the lifetime of manipulation she saw her aunt carry out until her arrest. 'Delving into Hildebrandt and Franke's relationship from both women's respective rise to power and extensive influence within the Mormon community to their eventual arrests in 2023, the docuseries charts the magnetic connection between the two and how the melding of Franke's strict family values with Hildebrandt's controversial beliefs created a microcosm of control, manipulation, and brutality that led to the devastating emotional and physical abuse of the Franke children,' a press release shared with read. The press release noted that viewers will see extensive 'archival and police footage,' as well as insight from local journalists who covered the case. 'The disturbing alliance between Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt has captivated and horrified the public, and this docuseries peels back the layers of that relationship through exclusive interviews with family members, former clients, and experts to explore the broader implications of family vlogging and the devastating impact of family abuse,' said Jason Sarlanis, president of Investigation Discovery. 'Ruby and Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' will premiere over two nights on Sept. 1 and 2, from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ID. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max. The trailer for the upcoming series begins with footage of the moment Russell begged a neighbor for food after he fled the house. In the background, the 911 call that the neighbor placed is played. 'He is obviously covered in wounds, Ruby Franke is his mom's name,' the 911 caller said, before the clip cut to a video of the mommy vlogger. The trailer then cut to a various people branding Hildebrandt 'insidious' and even a 'cult leader.' 'This was a wolf in sheep's clothing,' someone else in the trailer said. The five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home in which the pair carried out the horrifying crimes and were arrested belonged to Hildebrandt and was located in Ivins, UT. Both Franke, 42, and Hildebrandt, 55, pleaded guilty to the charges against them and, in February 2024, they were each sentenced to four consecutive prison terms, which could see them serving up to 30 years behind bars. Police video footage revealed officers combing through the dwelling, with one almost breaking down in tears when he discovered a terrified Eve inside the tiny closet. Both Franke and Hildebrandt were held without bail while they awaited the start of their December 2023 plea hearings—with the latter opting to list her home for sale for $5.3 million just weeks before she was sentenced. However, the dwelling was swiftly taken off the market after a judge ruled that Hildebrandt had to wait until her sentencing before selling it. Once listed, the property then sat on the market for quite some time, until it seemed to have finally had a pending sale in March 2025. However, it was put back on the market in May 2025. It might well be that the home's links to the horrifying crimes of Franke and Hildebrandt made buyers shy away—despite being described in its listing as having 'stunning features and finishes that will take your breath away.' According to Franke's former husband, Kevin, and their two older children, Shari and Chad, all of whom had moved out of the family home when the YouTube star was arrested, the mother of six had moved into Hildebrandt's home not long before her arrest, along with her two youngest kids. Not long after the extent of his wife's crimes was revealed to him, Kevin filed for divorce, which was finalized on March 20. According to local news outlet KSL, Kevin was awarded full custody of their four children who are under the age of 18, as well as sole ownership of the $1.3 million Springville, UT, home he once shared with Ruby. Additionally, Kevin was awarded ownership of a 2.8-acre plot of land in Scofield, Carbon County. Related Articles Food Network Star Anne Burrell's Cause Of Death Revealed After Chef Was Found Dead Inside Her Brooklyn Home Kylie Kelce Reveals Surprising Things She Has Banned in Her $6 Million Home Nicole Kidman Applies for Residency in Portugal—but Husband Keith Urban Is Missing From the Documents
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
New docuseries explores Ruby Franke's 'twisted dynamic' with Jodi Hildebrandt: See trailer
Viewers will learn more about the "twisted dynamic" between infamous mommy vlogger Ruby Franke and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt in a new docuseries from Investigation Discovery. "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence," set to premiere in early September, combines exclusive interviews, commentary, as well as extensive archival and police footage to offer "unprecedented insight" into Hildebrandt's rise to power within the Mormon community through her life improvement program ConneXions and how it led her to Franke. The show, specifically, will chronicle the women's "doomed partnership" and the "dangerous, disturbing results of unchecked influence to reveal the physical and psychological impact of their abusive actions." Franke, who ran a popular YouTube channel called "8 Passengers" with her family, and Hildebrandt, Franke's counselor-turned-business partner, were arrested and convicted of child abuse after two of Franke's six children were found abused and malnourished. "The docuseries charts the magnetic connection between the two and how the melding of Franke's strict family values with Hildebrandt's controversial beliefs created a microcosm of control, manipulation, and brutality that led to the devastating emotional and physical abuse of the Franke children," Investigation Discovery said in a news release. Here's what we know about "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence," including how to watch it. Who is Ruby Franke? And what did she do? Ruby Franke, 43, is a former mommy vlogger who lived in Springville, Utah, with her husband Kevin and their six children. The couple ran a popular and now-defunct YouTube channel called "8 Passengers," which showed snippets of the family's daily life online to an audience of millions beginning in early 2015. Franke later became the subject of widespread criticism online for her parenting choices, particularly her discipline methods that some considered borderline abusive. The pushback intensified when Franke co-founded ConneXions with Hildebrandt, a family counselor turned business partner. Many found that the "parenting style" the pair promoted was extreme and harsh. The frequent inclusion of what has been called homophobic, racist and transphobic comments did not help their popularity. In one often-referenced example, Franke told viewers that children do not deserve, and should not receive, unconditional love. Both women were arrested and initially charged with six counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse in September 2023 after two of Franke's six children were found abused and malnourished, the office of Eric Clarke, the Washington County Attorney in St. Georiga, Utah, announced at the time. They both pleaded guilty in December 2023 to four of the six counts as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, USA TODAY previously reported. Franke and Hildebrandt were sentenced to prison time ranging from four to 60 years in February 2024 and are currently serving their respective sentences. What will be in 'Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence'? The four-part docuseries "underscores Hildebrandt's manipulative and dangerous tendencies and how when combined with Franke's strict family values, they created an environment rife with manipulation, control, and abuse," according to Investigation Discovery. "Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence" does feature "extensive interviews with former clients." Jessi Hildebrandt, Hildebrandt's niece, and others, including local journalists as well as current and former members of the Mormon faith, will also offer "additional and exclusive insight" throughout the docuseries, the TV network said. Jason Sarlanis, president of Investigation Discovery, said in a statement, "The disturbing alliance between Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt has captivated and horrified the public, and this docuseries peels back the layers of that relationship through exclusive interviews with family members, former clients, and experts to explore the broader implications of family vlogging and the devastating impact of family abuse." Watch 'Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' trailer How to watch 'Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence' The four-part Investigation Discovery docuseries will premiere over two nights, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, at 9 p.m. ET/midnight PT. Episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max.
Cosmopolitan
05-06-2025
- 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
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What happened to Ruby Franke? Disney+'s Devil in the Family explained
Sign up to Disney+ Ruby Franke is the subject of new Disney+ documentary Devil in the Family, which explores the crimes of the parenting influencer against her six children. The matriarch launched YouTube channel 8 Passengers in 2015, catapulting to fame during a boom in social media influencers sharing their family life online. She would post five days a week at one point and amassed 2.5m subscribers at the channel's height as well as 1bn views. Franke's videos sparked widespread concern over the strict treatment she would enforce, but it was only later that the true extent of the abuse she subjected her children to was revealed. Franke would document aspects of her family life in YouTube videos, some of which were disturbing for viewers. In one video she told her sons they would "lose the privilege to eat dinner" if they continued to play-fight with each other, for example. In another video she claimed her six-year-old daughter "needed" to go hungry because she forgot to take her lunch to school. Other abusive behaviour included making her children stand or sleep outdoors, making them work outdoors without proper protection which resulted in sunburns, and making them do wall sits. She also shaved one of her daughter's heads, and would even withhold food, water or oxygen from them. Franke's teenage son once revealed in a video that he was sleeping on a beanbag after his bedroom was taken away from him for seven months because he had played pranks on his sibling. In June 2022 Franke and Hildebrandt, her business partner and counsellor, launched a YouTube channel called ConneXions where they gave advice to other parents. Franke and her husband Kevin separated in 2022, and he later called for Franke to be given the maximum possible sentence for the abuse she inflicted on their children. He filed for divorce in November 2023. In August 2023 Franke's 12-year-old son knocked on a neighbour's door asking for food and water, he was covered in open wounds and had been found with duct tape still on his ankles. Police later confirmed that he had escaped his home by climbing out of a window and running to a nearby house for help. An arrest report showed that the boy suffered malnourishment and had "deep lacerations from being tied up with rope". Police found Franke's ten-year-old daughter in the family home, she was also malnourished and both were taken to hospital. This prompted Franke to be arrested, her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt was also arrested. In total four children were put into care when Franke was taken into custody. Franke was charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, and ultimately pleaded guilty to four of those counts. Hildebrant also pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. In February 2024 Franke and Hildebrandt were sentenced, with the former vlogger sentenced to serve one to 15 years for each of the four counts of abuse she pled guilty to — in Utah if a person is given consecutive sentences then the maximum prison sentence served is 30 years. This means that she will serve between four and 30 years in prison. Hildebrandt was sentenced to four consecutive terms of one to 15 years in prison for each count of aggravated child abuse, she will similarly serve between four and 30 years in prison as a result. During her sentencing, Franke told the court: "I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong." Franke's eldest daughter Shari has written a memoir of her experience, The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom. In it she discusses her and her siblings' experience of abuse at the hands of their mother. Shari was included significantly on the family YouTube channel and has explained that she has since realised she was "coerced" into sharing embarasing and intimate details about her life online. She also explained that when she went to college Franke cut all ties with her daughter, leaving her in fear of her siblings' safety which led to her calling family services to assist. Speaking to People in January 2025, she said: "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." Franke's four youngest children have since been taken into custody by the Division of Child and Family Services, and will "remain in professional care for the aggravated psychological and emotional injuries suffered." Kevin Franke filed for custody for his children, the case is ongoing. Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is out on Disney+ now. If you feel you have been the subject of child abuse you can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via 1-2-1 chat on You can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Where is Ruby Franke now?
It has been just over a year since disgraced YouTuber Ruby Franke went to prison after pleading guilty to four felony counts of aggravated child abuse. The former mom influencer, 43, who ran the once-popular '8 Passengers' YouTube channel, was sentenced in February 2024 to between four and 30 years in prison after she was charged with abusing two of her six children. Franke's associate, mental health counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, 55, was also sentenced to between four and 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of child abuse. A new Hulu documentary, 'Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke,' takes a fresh look at Franke and Hildebrandt's story. The three-part docuseries includes interviews with Franke's eldest children, Shari and Chad, and her husband, Kevin, who filed for divorce in 2023. At first glance, '8 Passengers,' which launched in 2015, appeared to be a wholesome, family-focused vlog documenting the busy life of Franke, her husband Kevin, and their six kids. As the years went on, however, some followers voiced concerns about the parenting techniques on display in Franke's '8 Passengers' videos, such as when she revealed she punished her kids by withholding food, forced them to do push-ups, or made them miss school to clean the house. Hildebrandt ran a life-coaching business called ConneXions, which focused on 'empowering people by educating them with the principles of Truth' and helping them 'dispose of distortion's ugly lies,' according to the still-active ConneXions website. Hildebrandt focused on counseling Mormon couples and families, NBC News reported. In January 2012, Hildebrandt's license to practice as a counselor in Utah was placed on probation for 18 months for a series of violations. According to Utah Division of Professional Licensing documents reviewed by Jodi repeatedly disclosed 'sensitive private information' about her clients to their church clergy and other mental health therapists, without their consent. Her license was reinstated in 2013. The two women were charged with of 'causing or permitting serious physical injury to the victims in three different ways: (1) a combination of multiple physical injuries or torture, (2) starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life, and (3) causing severe emotional harm,' the Office of the Washington County Attorney said in a news release on Sept. 1, 2023. Both pled guilty in court. Keep reading to learn more about where Franke and Hildebrandt are now, and when the length of their prison sentences will be decided. Franke is incarcerated at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The facility, which began operating in 2022, is spread across 200 acres and includes 3,600 beds, according to the prison's website. Franke and Hildebrandt are housed in different sections of the prison's Dell housing unit, which is the facility's only unit for women and currently houses 367 female inmates, Karen Tapahe, public information officer for the Utah Department of Corrections, told in an email. Although Franke and Hildebrandt are housed separately, 'it is possible they could see each other at various times,' such as during gym time, classes, or other types of programming, Tapahe said. On Feb. 20, 2024, Franke was sentenced to four one- to 15-year consecutive prison terms after pleading guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony. When asked how she pleaded to the fourth charge, the former 'momfluencer' appeared to grow emotional and said, 'With my deepest regret and sorrow for my family and my children, guilty,' as seen in a video of her sentencing shared by the Associated Press. The maximum combined sentence for consecutive prison terms is 30 years in Utah, according to NBC News. This means that Franke could spend anywhere between four and 30 years in prison. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine the length of Franke's sentence in a hearing currently scheduled for sometime in December 2026. Prior to this hearing, Franke is expected to undergo a mental health review and is expected to participate in cognitive behavioral therapy, according to a July 2024 scheduling document from the board. Franke was arrested on Aug. 30, 2023, after the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department received a dispatch call regarding a 'juvenile asking for help.' The child 'appeared to be emaciated and malnourished' and had 'open wounds and duct tape around the extremities,' according to a press release from the public safety department. Officers searched a nearby home and found another child 'in a similar condition of malnourishment,' according to the release. Ultimately, four children were taken into the care of the Department of Child and Family Services, and Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested, according to the release. In both Franke and Hildebrandt's sentencing hearings, county prosecutor Eric Clarke said in his opening statements that Franke's children had endured a 'concentration-camp like setting.' 'The children were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in and virtually all forms of entertainment,' he said. He said outside the courtroom that the case involving Franke and Hildebrandt was the most extreme he had seen in his career. 'This is one of the worst child abuse cases we've ever seen,' he said. 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