The Twisted Case of Ruby Franke — Everything We Know

honestly my biggest fear ever since I. started vlogging was. but what if I wake up and my children. are just staring at a wall all day and. there's nothing to film that is. legitimately my biggest fear a woman who. Rose to fame on YouTube with her videos. on parenting child care and marriage is. charged with six counts of felony child. abuse but how did we get here what led.

to a young boy climbing out of a window. and rushing to a neighbor for help we're. digging into the Ruby Frankie case and. her timeline from Mom to vlogger to. criminal defendant welcome to sidebar. presented by law and crime I'm Jesse. Weber. well her name is everywhere right now. Ruby Frankie and even if you've never. seen any of her videos you know who I'm. talking about it is all over the news. it's all over social media we here at.

sidebar we have been heavily focused and. trying to delve into this highly. disturbing case as well now Frankie is. of course the 41 year old YouTuber mom. who is now charged alongside her. business partner Jody Hildebrandt with. six counts of aggravated child abuse. with respect to two of her young. children I'm talking about a case where. police discovered Frankie's emaciated. children her ten-year-old daughter her. 12 year old son they were found in. hildebrand's Residence and in fact the.

boy had suffered deep lacerations there. was even evidence that he had been tied. up we're gonna get to all that. but we should actually start from the. beginning in order to understand how we. got here. so this is a full timeline of what we. know so far in the Ruby Frankie case. let's start with the family. so Ruby Griffiths at Kevin Frankie they. got married and they had their first. child back in 2003. Kevin had graduated.

from Utah State University for undergrad. and then got his graduate degree from. Brigham Young University in civil. engineering he went on to teach. engineering at BYU as an associate. professor Kevin and Ruby are members of. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day. Saints they end up having six children. together Sherry Chad Abby Julie Russell. and Eve the family lived in Ivins Utah. it's about four hours away from Salt. Lake City.

but then you fast forward to 2015. and. Ruby and Kevin started a channel on. YouTube called Eight passengers and the. videos were all about their family and. parenting and marriage and homeschooling. I've never never once. forgotten. to Vlog like. it's like forgetting to eat or. forgetting to breathe. for me like picking up the camera and.

vlogging it's like. I would never forget to do that their. Channel became so popular it eventually. boasted more than 2 million subscribers. I just felt this the spirit tell me. everything's gonna work out okay and I. and then I had the thought you need to. share this too on your video you need to. let your viewers know that everything's. gonna be okay for them too all right we. want to thank Morgan and Morgan the. largest injury law firm in America for.

sponsoring this video now I know what. you're thinking right lawyers endless. hours of confusing paperwork not with. Morgan and Morgan folks nope they have. completely modernized personal injury. claim process have they done that well. you submit your claim you upload. documents and you talk with your whole. legal team yes Team all on your phone a. team I wonder what that's like I can't. even get anyone here to get me a coffee. oh and get this you only pay them if you. win yeah there's no upfront fee it's. pretty amazing it's no surprise over.

three million people call them every. year so if you're injured you can check. out Morgan and Morgan and submit a claim. in eight clicks or less at. www.forthepeople.com law on crime or by. dialing pound law that's pound 529 on. your phone. some of the channels videos just show. the day-to-day life of the family from. after school sports how many of you out. there play tennis they're cooking is. because if I decide I wanted a roast at. the last minute pork is really quick and. easy it does not take all day it takes.

like about 30 minutes the haircuts stuck. is there anything wrong with the back of. my hair. it's horrible but it did not come. without its share of criticism and. controversy. you see Frankie's videos also addressed. some sensitive and darker topics. one thing that I think very very harmful.

is. inappropriate memes there are some whole. hilarious memes out there but there are. also some memes that are just downright. nasty and I think it's important that we. know what our kids are looking at on. their Instagram feeds however. it was her parenting style that really. became problematic for many it was a. level of discipline that concerned. viewers for example in one video. Frankie admits that her youngest.

daughter then six-year-old Eve forgot to. pack a lunch for school. I know that her teacher is uncomfortable. with her being hungry and not having a. lunch. and it would ease her discomfort if I. came to the school with lunch but I I. responded and just said. Eve is responsible for making her. lunches in the morning and she actually. told me she did pack a lunch. so the natural outcome is she's just.

going to need to be hungry six years old. in another video Frankie said quote my. kids are literally starving I hesitate. to say this because it's going to sound. like a mean Barbarian but I told the. kids I'm not even gonna let you eat. breakfast until you get your chores done. which is all so chilling considering the. allegations of starving her children. but the discipline would also consist of. other acts too like her and Kevin not. giving their two youngest children gifts.

on Christmas one year because. they said they were selfish. now the eight passengers Channel it was. removed by YouTube We Believe earlier. this year reporting indicates that the. family had also been posting less. content over time we don't know exactly. why all this happened it could be. connected to the criticism of some of. about the punishments that this family. doled out to the kids and talked about. in their videos multiple accounts online. have posted videos of the past few years. pointing out these concerning moments.

that were all caught on camera. what do you do when you're disciplining. your kids ending thank you. come on oh that's frustrating all of my. kids have done it Chad Chad does it too. I do not because I never get disciplined. and Ruby Frankie herself would respond. to that criticism online who hate me who. would like to cancel me who would like. to see me. um either burn in hell as I've told or.

um disappear off the face of the Earth. and I'm not going anywhere yeah Frankie. said in an interview with cwic media. last year quote I was slapped upside the. face with shock that people didn't like. responsibility I went overnight nearly. from being this loved YouTube mom to. being called a neglectful abusive mom I. was shocked well now Frankie is in a. Utah jail cell accused of abusing her.

children alongside her business partner. Jody Hildebrandt and that's the moment I. want to take right now I want to take a. moment to talk a little bit more about. Jody's backstory. so according to the Utah Division of. Professional Licensing Jody Hildebrand. is a clinical mental health counselor. she started her own YouTube channel. known as connections so many of us that. are parents it's like. I don't want to have to track them down. I don't want to have to just you know. like take everything away from them and. it's like you're not taking things away.

from them what you're doing is you've. handed them things that they're not. managing. and so it's your job to make sure that. the first thing they manage. is themselves. like they understand how to manage. themselves they know how to be. responsible for themselves they know how. to not blame they know how to. um get curious which means humble they. know how to ask questions. they know how to say that doesn't feel.

right can you help me understand they. know how to do all that. and when you give them activities or you. give them opportunities that they engage. in where they can't manage themselves. they're only going to become more and. more unmanageable inside of these. activities. and at some point Ruby Frankie joined. connections we also believe that Kevin. might have been in some of those videos. in fact the website lists Ruby Frankie. as a certified mental fitness trainer.

and Frankie as I said appeared alongside. Hildebrandt in these videos I have been. full-time you wonder where I've been on. my Vlogs you wonder why I left YouTube. to save my kids. no amount of money I and I'm telling you. I was making. Millions. and I left it because my kids were being. hurt. with entitlement they were being hurt. with people's advice and they didn't.

have a mother up the front saying I. don't care what the world's opinion is. this is the truth and this is where I. stand okay but now fast forward to last. month when according to court documents. and a 911 phone call. Frankie's 12 year old son RF we know to. be Russell climbed out of a window at. the home of Hildebrand he ran to a. neighbor and asked him to call the. police all right I'm on the address of. your emergency tell me exactly what's. happened I just had a 12 year old boy.

show up here at my front door asking for. help. we know there's been problems at this. neighbor's house he's emaciated he's got. tape around his legs he's hungry and. he's thirsty. he asked us to call the police. so he's very afraid this kid has. obviously been. I think he's been. he's been detained he's done. he's obviously covered in wounds all.

right we need the cops here as soon as. possible yeah it appeared that Russell. had been bound with duct tape that he. was severely malnourished he was asking. for food and water First Responders they. come they find his sister EF we know to. be Eve 10 years old inside of the home. in a very similar State both were taken. to a hospital Ruby Frankie Jody. Hildebrandt they were both arrested now. I also want to tell you that police. noted as well that Ruby Frankie was seen. on a YouTube video filmed in Jody.

hildebrand's house it was posted two. days before the kids were discovered and. the police said quote this observation. points to Frankie being in the home and. having knowledge of the abuse that's why. each is charged with either inflicting. the injuries themselves on these kids or. causing or permitting another to inflict. the injuries so it's gonna be hard to. argue that Ruby Frankie didn't know what. was happening or didn't endorse it and. prosecutors are going to have quite the. latitude to our argue in front of a jury.

that these injuries constitute child. abuse because under the various charges. it is abuse if the injuries result in a. form of torture or malnourishment even. severe emotional harm these are serious. crimes in fact the maximum is 15 years. in prison on each respective charge. let's go back to the early warning signs. of trouble well back in 2020 Child. Protective Services went to the Frankie. home to investigate claims of abuse.

thanks to a change.org petition this. again seemed to be brought on by the. viewers of her Channel again people who. were concerned with what they were. seeing but here's what may have prompted. that so then 15 year old Chad the. Frankie's oldest son was sent from Utah. to a camp in Arizona called Anasazi it. is a weeks-long Wilderness Camp for. troubled teens and when he got back he. played apparently some pranks on his. younger brother Russell whom he shared a.

bedroom with. and take a listen to what Chad and Ruby. Frankie his mom had to say in a video. that she posted and eventually was taken. down. in our house we. take something away it's because they. have shown that they are not responsible. enough to manage it and so we don't just. turn around and give it back as soon as. they start acting good we'll be. consistent it has to be consistent over. a minimum. minimum of this month my bedroom was.

taken like in seven months and then. I don't think our viewers. I've ruined back like two weeks ago oh. I'll give you the reason why I lost my. bedroom I think so I think this is a. reason and at least this is the reason I. spoke my head. pretty funny but now I look back and. it's pretty depressing no we never told. our viewers that I woke up at two in the. morning and told them that we're going. to Disneyland and he has to pack and you.

got him and made his bed all neatly and. then packed all his clothes in the. suitcase and then he walked out the door. and I'm like wrestling he's like why and. he's all happy has his sunglasses on and. I was like we're not going to Disneyland. and he's definitely crying. [Music]. when it began at his face and hung him.

on the basketball. basically. are basically the day I got home too. Chad came home from Anasazi and. Russell's like I want to try jugging the. basketball and I looked at him. I saw three minutes and he was just. hanging out do you think it's funny. because and then I walk out if you think. it's funny then you that was seven.

months ago maybe you need longer without. a bedroom. yeah. it was not funding Chad showed that he. was not able to manage himself sharing a. bedroom with Russell so when we moved. um the bigger room in the basement was. automatically his and I didn't have a. room but we like put one on hold for me. so a lot of you are like hey that's not. fair because Chad got the bigger the. Lesser bedroom and Russell got the. bigger bedroom.

we've also got the big bedroom and check. out the the smaller bedroom and. Russell's bigger bedroom also had a. bathroom but what you guys didn't know. was Chad didn't get any room he didn't. he didn't get anything he was sleeping. on the floor in the family room it hurts. me just as much as it hurts my kids both. Chad and his sister reveal that they. don't have any friends since they moved. to a new home nearly an hour away from. their school. don't feel safe or accepted in any.

and in the same video Ruby talked about. going away with her husband Kevin to a. retreat and while they're gone the kids. were only supposed to use their iPads. for school work but Ruby learned that. the youngest children have broken the. rules so because of that Ruby apparently. took away all the electronics from. everyone for the rest of that summer. after she spoke with Chad and Abby about. her views on punishment she then brings. Russell into the frame and I just want. you to watch his face as she's talking.

because for me it seems pretty evident. how uncomfortable he is. because he's not only dealing with the. fact that he's being disciplined but. this conversation is being recorded okay. you guys I I need to go have a talk with. Russell the fact that he's not willing. to sit with me and be humble and talk is. a big. is a big uh demonstration to me that he. has some distorted views and that he is. in a lot of Shame oh there you are I was.

just talking about you do you want to. come sit with me and talk. I'm gonna get down on your level. I've noticed that she's been hiding from. me. and you are feeling a lot of. embarrassment and shame. I don't know you tell me what you're. feeling. mad because I really won't get anything. for summer I won't be able to go. anywhere you know I don't have any.

friends. no iPads no TV nothing. okay so I hear you that sounds like a. lot to be taken away. that sounds like it's going to be a. miserable summer. can I can I tell you what I see. would you be open to hearing what I have. to say. I see that yes the iPads will be taken. because you weren't responsible you were. lying and being manipulative with them.

and Eve may have started it that's that. very possible. and who's responsible for you being. disobedient around iPads me you. so it's up to you if you want to be. miserable because you don't get TV. or iPad that is totally up to you you. get to choose boredom and you get to. choose to be miserable. what I am seeing though is that you're. upset with the outcome for being.

mischievous. and instead of being humble and. accepting that there is an outcome for. you behaving like that with the iPads. instead you're you're being selfish. and what I would like to see is that you. be humble and say yeah you know I own it. I was mischievous with the iPads I was. sneaking them I can see where I've. broken trust and I I don't want our.

relationship to be an untrusting. relationship and once again Frankie. defends her actions we're listening to. all of your comments and your feedback I. I think I understand where some people. are coming from they're like oh the. parents don't give their kids beds and I. totally agree with that I know there are. lots of children out there whose parents. are neglectful we got accused of childs. when we sent Chad to Anasazi guess what. the first thing that they did was take a.

bed away they they don't have beds so. Chad slept on the hard ground for months. and it's you know it's run by. psychologists and therapists and if not. having a bed was psychologically. damaging then they wouldn't they. wouldn't have suggested that now it was. videos like these that led viewers to be. concerned I mentioned this change.org. petition that was set up it received a. lot of signatures well then CPS Child. Protective Services is called to visit. the home and social workers come to the.

Frankie home they look around they. interview all the children but the case. was closed because there was not enough. evidence wrongdoing or crime being. committed or abuse. Ruby Frankie explained in an interview. with the rap saying quote I remember. that morning very well these officers. they were two ladies said there have. been several complaints about child. abuse and child neglect could they come. in and spend some time she goes on to. say that they didn't find anything and. before leaving. according to her these workers were.

supposedly so impressed with her and. Kevin's parenting that Frankie said. quote they both said they were going to. go home and make some changes on how. they were parenting. in fact according to Kevin Franke when. they walked in unannounced even Ruby. were baking bread together and doing a. puzzle he went on to say that it was. hardly the evidence of an abusive home. but then in another incident April 2022. a social worker from the Department of. Child and Family Services DCFS contacted. police saying that two children were.

running unsupervised by the family home. but when a police officer arrives the. kids weren't there. we also know that back on September 18. 2022 the couple's daughter Sherry. Frankie called police see Sherry. basically cut ties with her family after. Ruby started working with jodia. connections and she herself was. attending Brigham Young at the time but. Sherry reported that her siblings had. been left home alone for days and she. wanted to make sure that they had enough. food so police show up the kids.

reportedly wouldn't answer the door but. police could see them inside the police. speak with the neighbors in fact. according to an officer in a report. quote everyone who came to the scene was. very concerned about the children and. then being left at home alone expressed. great concern about the two youngest. children being homeschooled while the. two older ones go to public school also. because it shows that they are home. alone during the day by themselves and. there isn't any way for them to contact. emergency services if needed reporting. indicates that law enforcement stopped.

by the house four more times between. September 22nd October 3rd but it. doesn't seem anything came from it it's. not clear if DCFS was involved in this. and all. but when Frankie and Hildebrandt were. arrested Shari posted on her Instagram. story a photo of the police with the. caption finally. a neighbor spoke to NBC news saying. quote I'm really angry because I spoke. up other people spoke up if people knew. the amount of tears and time spent.

talking with law enforcement and CPS. over the last year I want people to. understand that and I want those kids to. know that because I think they thought. that they were abandoned well now it. seems that there is plenty of evidence. that points to abuse behind the scenes. of these popular videos the children are. now in the care of Child Protective. Services as Ruby Frankie and Jody. Hildebrand await a bail hearing later. this month and in a bizarre twist at. Frankie's most recent court hearing she. claimed that one of her children. molested 20 other children including a.

sibling cousins neighbors the judge. apparently said that the child would. need to be placed in a home with no. other children now interestingly we. interviewed Ben Shu famously represented. Johnny Depp in his civil abuse case and. here was his take on how that statement. could hurt Ruby Frankie I think it's. tremendously detrimental to her case. first of all I mean she should have if. any of this were true she should have. reported it at the time rather than. waiting to be arrested in a ring as for.

Kevin Frankie who has not been. criminally charged according to his. attorney Kevin is distraught that he. denies any knowledge of abuse and that. he has been living separately from Ruby. for the last 13 months I actually had. the opportunity to interview Kevin's. attorney Randy Kester who not only. indicated that Ruby called Kevin before. she was arrested asking him to come take. care of the kids but that he is the. victim. he's working hard to.

do what he can to restore his reputation. after it's been destroyed and damaged. and he's getting raked over the calls by. all this when in fact he himself was to. some degree a victim of these. psychological and mental manipulations. that were perpetrated against him and. his family by Jody. he's just trying to restore some. normalcy in his life and make sure that. he can as was his goal all along.

to keep this family together. and make sure that they Thrive and that. they recover from this abuse now I am. sure there is more to this story and it. will develop we'll of course continue to. follow all this for you and bring you. every new detail. that's all we have for you here on. sidebar everybody thank you so much for. joining us please subscribe on Apple. podcast Spotify YouTube wherever you get. your podcast I'm Jesse Weber so to you. next time. [Music].