The Franke family lived in a peaceful Utah suburb and had accumulated a loyal fan base of more than 2.5 million followers to their YouTube channel, “8 Passengers.”
It seemed to the outside world that they were the epitome of a Christian, healthy family. But beyond the meticulously maintained exterior, a sinister and unsettling truth was emerging.
Mugshots of convicted YouTube mom Ruby Franke and her business partner jodi Hilderbrandt sentence for child abuse
YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke’s oldest daughter, Shari Franke, is now courageously coming out to tell her family’s horrific tale.
In “Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke,” a forthcoming Hulu documentary series, Shari, now 21, describes the horrifying torture she and her brothers suffered at the hands of their mother.
In the documentary series, Shari talks about her younger brother, Chad, saying, “I did always feel bad when he got in trouble.”
“He’d get a bloody nose and I’d bring him toilet paper and didn’t really know what to do.”
A troubling portrait of a mother who was committed to upholding the appearance of the “perfect mom” at all costs is painted by Shari’s memories.
Chad claims that Ruby resorted to “times where she blew up off camera” in order to conceal the abuse from the cameras. She would remove the belt, slap, whip, and whip my butt. Whip me and pull down my pants.
The relationship between Ruby and Jodi Hildebrandt, a former sex therapist and the creator of the Christian social media network ConneXions, is also explored in the documentary series.
Later, the two ladies co-founded a podcast in which they promoted rigorous parenting methods. Ruby asked Kevin and Chad to leave the house shortly after they met, and she disowned Shari.
As time went on, Shari’s worries about her siblings’ safety who were still living at home grew. She even called child services, but after a welfare check, nothing was done.
But Ruby and Jodi’s heinous deeds ultimately caught up with them in August 2023. The two women were arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated child abuse, after Shari’s malnourished 12-year-old brother escaped from Jodi’s home and asked a neighbor to call the police.
In her new memoir, “The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom,” Shari delves deeper into the abuse she and her siblings faced, revealing that Ruby’s punishments evolved into “grand gestures and prolonged periods of deprivation.”
Important Takeaways: In the new Hulu documentary series “Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke,” Shari Franke, the eldest daughter of YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke, talks candidly about the violence she and her siblings endured.
Shari describes instances in which she assisted in wiping the blood off the walls after her brother Chad was “beaten really bad.”
In August 2023, Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, her business partner, were taken into custody and charged with several counts of serious child abuse.
In February 2024, Ruby and Jodi were sentenced to four to thirty years in jail after entering a guilty plea to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
ruby franke documentary hulu
A House of Horrors or an Idyll Family?
Ruby Franke and her husband, Kevin Franke, managed the supposedly pleasant family vlogging channel 8 Passengers, which attracted millions of subscribers for years. They looked to the outside world like the perfect example of a loving but disciplined Mormon family.
But there was a much harsher truth hidden beneath the expertly edited YouTube films than anyone could have ever dreamed.
Hulu’s Devil in the Family has now revealed the horrific details of Ruby Franke’s violent parenting, her unsettling relationship with psychotherapist Jodi Hildebrandt, and the suffering she caused to her kids.
The Ruby Franke Fall. Franke and Hildebrandt blurred the boundaries between severe discipline and outright child abuse, and this three-part documentary offers startling new insights into their perverse world.
However, what actually took place behind closed doors?
The Beginning of an Uncomfortably Close Bond
Recently, Kevin Franke revealed the disturbing details of his wife’s relationship with Jodi Hildebrandt. In the Hulu documentary, Kevin stated,
“It was much more than a friendship.” “It was awkwardly personal.”
Ruby first met Hildebrandt, a self-proclaimed counselor and founder of the controversial ConneXions program, in 2018. What started as a mentorship soon spiraled into an obsessive partnership, leading to extreme punishments, emotional manipulation, and ultimately, the arrests of both women.
Kevin recounted a traumatic period when Hildebrandt moved into their house in the documentary series, saying he had “demonic night terrors.”
Ruby was adamant that only she and Jodi could exorcise the bad spirits from her. Kevin said,
“I would put my hands on her head and tell the demons to go.” But eventually, Ruby started to distance herself from Hildebrandt and stopped talking to Kevin altogether.
Speculation & Theories: Were They More Than Just Friends?
Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke’s closeness sparked curiosity, particularly when their bond became almost ritualistic.
During the documentary, Ruby’s 21-year-old daughter Shari Franke was asked if she thought her mother and Hildebrandt were in love. What did she say? “I mean, I have my opinions.”
In her memoir, The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom, Shari recounts walking into Ruby’s bedroom after Hildebrandt had moved in.
“The room was bathed in the soft glow of candles,” she wrote. “The air was heavy with the scent of lavender and vanilla wafting from the massage oils on the dresser.”
The most terrifying aspect? Shari recounts watching her mother leave the room in the early hours of the morning, her cheeks flushed, her hair unkempt, and her robe hastily tied. She questioned, “What the hell was going on?”
For a duo that condemned queerness in their ConneXions teachings, their private actions appeared to contradict their public persona. But was this just another layer of their deception?
A Beautiful Family With a Sinister Secret
Imagine finding a seemingly ideal family while browsing YouTube. Social media users adore happy kids, a loving mother, and morally upright family values. However, beneath the meticulously chosen material of Ruby Franke’s immensely popular family vlog, 8 Passengers, was a terrifying reality that would rock the internet.
A weak 12-year-old child who was famished and desperate fled a luxurious Utah home on a late August evening in 2023.
His body was weak from starvation, and his legs were taped together. When he knocked on a neighbor’s door, he said,
“Can you take me to the nearest police station?” His words would reveal a dark secret.
Ruby Franke’s demise resulted from this one desperate act that revealed the horrifying mistreatment that took place in the Franke household.
However, how has a well-known family YouTuber been accused of abusing children up to this point?
Ruby Franke’s unexpected arrest, her contentious parenting style, and the horrifying Hulu video that reveals it all are all part of this terrifying true story.
Ruby Franke: Who Was She?
Ruby Franke used to be hailed as the quintessential “momfluencer.” She is a mother of six and a devoted Mormon who became well-known in 2015 thanks to her YouTube channel, 8 Passengers.
By 2020, she had over 2.5 million subscribers because to her video, which featured anything from discipline techniques to morning rituals (Source: YouTube Analytics). But as the views climbed, so did the scrutiny.
Her parenting methods sparked outrage. In one viral video, her teenage son Chad revealed that he had been forced to sleep on a beanbag chair for seven months as punishment. Other clips showed her withholding food from her children and making threats like cutting off a beloved stuffed animal’s head.
A Split Family: The Repercussions of Ruby Franke’s Arrest
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt’s demise started in August 2023 when Ruby’s 12-year-old son, who was badly starved and covered in wounds, ran away from Hildebrandt’s house in Ivins, Utah.
Both ladies were arrested on several charges of serious child abuse as a result of his request for assistance. They have since been sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Kevin Franke, who had separated from Ruby before her arrest, has not been charged with any crimes. He claims he had been pushed out of his children’s lives long before the abuse reached its peak.
What Takes Place Next?
The public will now have an unvarnished glimpse at the atrocities Ruby’s children went through when Devil in the Family:
The Fall of Ruby Franke premieres on Hulu. However, the most important questions still stand:
To what extent did Ruby and Jodi engage in manipulation?
Were they genuinely in love, or was there something darker about their relationship?
Would it have been possible to identify the warning indications sooner?
As the Franke children attempt to rebuild their lives, the public is left questioning how a seemingly perfect YouTube family turned into one of the most shocking cases of child abuse in recent history
devil in the family
Ruby’s demise was influenced by Jodi Hildebrandt.
After Ruby teamed up with Jodi Hildebrandt, a self-described family therapist with a troubled past, her harsh parenting techniques became more severe. Hildebrandt, whose therapy license had been suspended in 2012, introduced
Ruby to the ConneXions Classroom, a program that preached rigid discipline and emotional control (Source: Utah State Board of Licensing).
What began as therapy sessions for Ruby’s distressed youngster quickly developed into a cult-like impact on the Franke family.
When Hildebrandt moved in with the family in 2021, Ruby’s convictions took a perilous turn. She started denying family members who voiced concerns that her children were “possessed by evil spirits.” (Source: Devil in the Family on Hulu).
The Horror Was Revealed by the Escape
In 2023, the unthinkable took place. In Ivins, Utah, Ruby’s youngest kid ran away from Hildebrandt’s house. Ropes, handcuffs, and a starvation diet of honey and cayenne pepper were among the torture-related items that the police discovered. The children were subjected to severe punishments, including hours of standing in the scorching sun and running in the desert until they were exhausted (Source: Court Records, 2023).
Jodi and Ruby were taken into custody right away on several charges of serious child abuse.
Ruby sobbed in court as she accused Hildebrandt of deceiving her. However, the harm had already been done. Overnight, her YouTube empire fell apart.
Ruby Franke: Where Is She Now?
According to Utah State jail Records, Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt are facing sentences of up to 30 years in jail as of 2025.
Shari Franke, Ruby’s eldest daughter, has published the best-selling memoir The House of My Mother and has emerged as a strong opponent of family blogging.
Since then, her ex-husband Kevin Franke has filed for divorce and openly denounced the risks associated with child exploitation on YouTube (Source: Utah State Court Filings).
The Documentary on Hulu That Reveals Everything
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, a three-part documentary series on Hulu, will debut on February 27, 2025.
The series offers an inside look into one of the most unsettling family scandals in YouTube history, including first-hand testimonies from Shari and Chad Franke, former neighbors, and law enforcement officials.
Family Vlogging: Is It Safe?
Ruby Franke’s story brings up important moral issues with YouTube child abuse and family vlogging.
While many influencers share harmless content, others may unknowingly expose their children to harm.
Should social media companies impose more stringent guidelines on family-friendly content? Or should parents take full responsibility for what they post online?
Join the discussion in the comments below. What are your thoughts on family vlogging?
Concluding Remarks: Is This Possible Again?
A terrifying reminder of the perils of unbridled power in family vlogging, religious fundamentalism, and toxic mentoring is provided by the Ruby Franke case.
One question remains as the globe observes this controversy develop: How many more families are going through hardships in secret?
Do you think Ruby and Jodi had a deeper relationship than they disclosed? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Was it appropriate to hold Kevin Franke responsible?
