St. George, Utah – Videos and documents related to a child abuse case involving popular parent blogger Ruby Franke have been released by The Washington County Attorney’s Office this week. The materials shed light on the disturbing allegations against Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, citing “religious extremism” as the supposed motivation behind the abuse inflicted on Franke’s children.
Franke, who admitted to four counts of aggravated child abuse in December, documented the abuse on her now-deleted “8 Passengers” YouTube channel. She faced six counts initially, but as part of a plea deal, she pleaded not guilty to two counts in exchange for testifying against Hildebrandt, who also pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
One of the chilling videos released by the attorney’s office captured Franke’s 12-year-old son escaping from Hildebrandt’s home on August 30, 2023, seeking help from a neighbor due to injuries and severe malnourishment. The boy was found with duct tape around his ankles and wrists, leading to his rescue and hospitalization for deep lacerations and malnourishment.
During a search of Hildebrandt’s residence, officers discovered Franke’s 9-year-old daughter hiding in a closet, also malnourished. Franke’s journal, released in redacted form, detailed months of abuse such as making the children stand and sleep outdoors, perform physical exercises, shaving the girl’s head, and depriving them of basic needs like food, water, and oxygen.
In one entry from July 11, 2023, Franke described forcing her son to stand in the sun, with references to “demons” and religious teachings. The women believed the abuse was necessary for the children to repent for imagined sins and purge evil spirits, as stated in the attorney’s case summary.
The severity of the case prompted Franke and Hildebrandt to receive four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years in prison in Utah. With Utah’s indeterminate sentencing laws in play, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will oversee the length of their imprisonment. The evidence released by the Washington County Attorney’s Office generated inquiries from CNN towards the attorneys representing Franke and Hildebrandt.
The disturbing details of the case underline the tragic realities of child abuse and the extreme consequences meted out to those responsible for such heinous acts. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of religious extremism and its potential impact on vulnerable individuals, particularly children.