'Victim of Jodi': Lawyer for Ruby Franke's Husband Tells All, Blames YouTube Mom and Partner

in my case I found a. that as my kids got older and older and. older you know wherever you live there's. this there's this community of this. network of parents and and. I found myself constantly in comparison. with other parents the attorney for Ruby. Frankie's husband Kevin comes on to. explain his client's current situation. whether he played any role in the. alleged abuse of their children and when.

he spoke to Ruby Frankie right before. her arrest welcome to sidebar presented. by long crime I'm Jesse Weber. so we're continuing our coverage of the. Ruby Frankie case the 41 year old Utah. mother of six Who Rose to online Fame. when she and her husband Kevin Frankie. started a now defunct YouTube channel. called Eight passengers it documented. their lives their parenting style. homeschooling well now Ruby Frankie. along with her business partner and.

content collaborator Jody Hildebrand. have each been charged with six felony. counts of aggravated child abuse police. were alerted after Frankie's 12-year-old. son escaped hildebrandt's residence ran. to a neighbor asking for food and water. he was found emaciated with deep. lacerations duct tape on his extremities. this is really horrible stuff but then. it was compounded by the fact that when. police arrived they also found Frankie's. ten-year-old daughter in similar. condition horrible story but there is.

one person in this story that people are. talking a lot about and that is Kevin. Frankie now while Ruby's husband has not. been criminally charged by authorities. his role has taken Center Stage it's got. a lot of people talking well joining me. right now to unpack that is Kevin. Frankie's attorney Randy Kester Randy. thanks so much for coming here on. sidebar. you're welcome. I think the best place to start is. how's your client doing right now.

he's he's uh busy he's struggling. trying to make sense out of what's. happened to him in the last 13 months. and. uh kind of coming out of a fog. so in other words he was completely. taken off guard by these allegations. completely shocked. absolutely shocked. where was he when he found out about. this. he he was at work and how did he find. out he found out in the news did someone. call him.

he got a call from Ruby. he got a call from Ruby Frankie. correct. you mean while she was after she was. arrested. before. can you elaborate on that sure she had. heard. uh what was going on and uh. knew they were coming for her and uh. called him and said this is an emergency. even though she hadn't she hadn't.

reached out to him for months and months. and months before that uh she reached. out to him when it was an emergency. knowing she could rely on him to help. his kids. so in other words you're saying she knew. the police were coming to arrest her she. calls Kevin to say take care of the kids. how did she know the police were coming. because again the reporting indicates is. that her son I had escaped that house. and called and went to a neighbor and. that's when the authorities were alerted. do you know how she knew they were they.

were coming. I would never want to predict anything. that she might know I I Kevin doesn't. know he doesn't know I don't know how. she knew what was going down all he. knows is. he got a text from her that said. emergency I need to speak with you he. was at work and uh text back and said. I'm at work. uh what's up and she said I need to. speak to you immediately and he then. they spoke on the phone.

correct. and that's when she told him no actually. I think most of it was yeah they did. speak on the phone so they spoke on the. phone and and when she told him that the. police were coming. what did he say she she actually didn't. say that she just said you need to get. down here you need to get down here and. what did he say about that he he said. down where. and when she told him that she was in. Ivan's he responded and said what are.

you doing in Ivan's. and was told she then told him that the. kids were down there some of the kids. were down there and he needed to come. down. and uh he he said well how long have you. been in Ivan's he didn't he didn't he. wasn't even told that she had taken the. kids to Ibis let me unpack that a little. bit so first of all their current status. were they separated. correct. they were separated I read for 13 months. so they weren't living with each other.

how much was he seeing the kids. uh almost not at all actually not at all. why is that why is that because she told. him it was better that they needed to. work on their marriage and needed to. keep their family together but that. everything was better off with him not. in the home and not communicating with. the children if you can why were they. separated what was the catalyst. oh I probably shouldn't go into that.

that's that's pretty private but let's. just say they were uh. they had a difference of opinion. about their family parenting I know you. can't talk about but is it that kind of. where we're going. correct. okay. so let me again and their own personal. dynamic. okay. um so he was living separate from her. was he calling the kids because I think. what a lot of people are looking at this.

and they're wondering well what did he. know so he might have been living. separately from her for 13 months but he. wasn't calling the kids checking in on. the kids seeing how they're doing he's. the father. I totally understand that that was the. big question on my mind and the big. question I on a lot of people if you've. read everything that's in the media he's. getting raked over the coals for that. but what people don't understand is that. he was trying to preserve his marriage. he was taking direction from her she's.

the one who asked him to leave the house. and indicating that in order for him to. be able to get back together with her. and be a family that she was requesting. that he leave the home and that he now. contact them or the children. later told him that everything was. Blissful at home it was so much better. without him. did he ever believe that the kids were. in danger did he ever believe that Ruby. might have been doing something to the.

kids. he had nothing to indicate that. so again I know you're limited in what. you can say but just again piecing that. together if he if Ruby Frank told Kevin. Frankie excuse me Ruby Frankie told. Kevin that you know it's better off he's. not part of the home. um and you know that he lived separately. from them and not to have any contact. he just took that as okay that sounds. like a good idea or did she prevent him.

in any way from seeing the kids did he. want to see them and talk them and she. told them no. emotionally she was controlling him. because she knew how much she valued. their marriage and valued their family. and it was his desire to be able to get. back with the family and preserve his. marriage so he was taking direction from. her and her Direction was it's so much. better off and I think we can salvage. our marriage if you just for now don't.

have communication with the kids and I. will communicate with you I'll reach out. to you when we need to have. communication. and even though they had a difference of. opinion possibly about parenting that. never gave him a concern to hey you know. what maybe I should check in because if. it seemed like it was a big enough issue. for them to. separate it didn't seem like an issue. for him to check in on Kevin never had. any reason to believe that his children. were being abused if he. and one Inkling.

his kids were being abused and that this. separation wasn't for any other purpose. than to figure out a way between he and. Ruby to reunite their family he would. have been down there in two seconds. no idea. he had no idea he had no idea that this. was going on no physical abuse had never. been a part of their family. but a lot of the Dynamics between he and. his wife changed after. uh Jody Hildebrand uh partnered up with.

Ruby let's talk about that for a second. first of all before I get into Jody do. Kevin your client and Ruby are they been. talking at all while she's in jail. the last conversation they had was uh. last Friday and that's when during that. conversation is when he came to kind of. came to his senses about how he'd been. manipulated and deceived are you saying. he confronted her about these.

allegations. to some degree I I don't know the entire. context of the conversation but in his. discussion with me was that during that. conversation things were said that made. him realize how he'd been deceived and. misled and and as I told you earlier he. didn't even know the kids were in Ivan's. you you just said that he knew that he. that excuse me that Ruby and Jody were. working together. um correct so he was how is he that.

shocked if he knew that you know they. were working together and maybe she had. brought the kids with him I mean did he. not think that perhaps uh Ruby had taken. the kids to Jody's house. typically she would tell him something. like that but she didn't she didn't. she'd have the kids down there from. about late may I think maybe June until. this all came about and he did she. didn't tell him one thing about taking. the kids to Ivan's.

what does he say about Jody Hildebrandt. um. that she's manipulated him. in conjunction with Ruby though she's. been kind of the spearhead toward. essentially destroying his life and. destroying his family how did Jody and. Ruby get connected does Kevin know. I don't know. I don't know is this kept I mean again. is Kevin believing that perhaps it was. Jody who was manipulating Ruby in this.

or because it also sounds like Kevin. feels he was manipulated by Ruby is it. is it just all the blame on Jody I think. it was a team effort but with Jody being. the Spearhead. and and creating a situation that's. that's just caused all of this. destruction of his family. why does he believe that Jody is. manipulative what makes him believe that. I probably shouldn't go into that but we.

recently reviewed a uh on another. website uh an interview with Jody's. niece. who described uh to the public exactly. what she had done. what Jody had done to the niece and her. family. and we're hearing. um other information that she's done. this to a number of families. and it was until this all came to light. that Kevin came to realize that his.

family had also been victimized by Jody. have the authorities reached out to your. client. oh certainly he's interviewed with them. and they see him as a potential Witness. they haven't said that. he's uh he was interviewed with them the. day this all occurred and he drove to St. George to get his children and they met. him and interviewed him. I I guess the the when people are.

looking at this and they know this is. not an isolated incident because you and. I both know that the Frankies have been. under a close eye for quite some time. there were people who suspected that the. kids were being abused or were treated. too harshly so even putting aside the. arrest of Ruby Frankie your client was. receiving criticism for quite some time. over the parenting techniques what is. his response been to that there there. hasn't ever ever been an allegation that. Kevin Frankie has ever physically abused.

his children. and and I think uh all these parents all. these parenting complaints those were. investigated and uh I think it's a. subjective thing parenting is as. everybody says no one's ever written the. perfect book on parenting and so while. there may be some criticism of their. parenting as being too strict or you. know too demanding. um that's been looked into and there. were never any DCFS charges filed there.

was never any criminal charges filed in. particularly and I want to emphasize. this. Kevin Franke has never been accused of. physically abusing anyone including his. children nor have there ever been any. allegations that he was doing that he. doesn't condone that kind of thing he's. a good dad. he just simply does not condone physical. violence or that kind of treatment of. children or anyone and he's right now in. touch with all the kids.

that's all being. um that's all being sort of managed by. the juvenile court. do they want to see him. I I can't tell you I don't know. I know that he's had contact with his. two older children. but as to the four younger ones I. I even if I knew I I kind of made an. agreement with the court that we. wouldn't talk about the kids what about. the older children what has been the.

conversations between them and Kevin. well they're they're kind of on their. own but they've had uh. uh they've had contact but I'm not at. Liberty to disclose those conversations. I mentioned the criticism that the. Frankies were facing the YouTube channel. that they had was shut down did ever. Kevin ever explain to you why that. happened. no I have no understanding as to why. that was taken down I know I know after. these incidents and Ivan's. I I believe that a lot of their material.

was taken down by the platform but. um I haven't spoken to Kevin about that. I don't I have no understanding as to. what's going on with that right now the. the money that they made off of the show. I think Ruby had claimed at one point. they were making a significant amount of. money as Kevin ever spoken to you about. that about how profitable that show was. Uh Kevin was simply. giving his earnings to Ruby that we're.

going to support the family. he retained sufficient amounts of money. to take care of himself while they were. separated but all the rest of that money. was going to Ruby to support the kids. and he hasn't he hasn't spoken to me. about what amount of money was ever. generated by that he actually. um pardon the phrase but he actually. disconnected from any involvement with. connections. um a year and a half ago and hasn't had.

anything to do with eight passengers for. even longer than that I'm sure you know. um that there was a hearing. um last week where Ruby Frankie in I. believe it was over Zoom she made quite. the allegations she said that one of her. children was abusing another one of the. children was abusing cousins and. neighbors that is quite the claim what. does your clients take on that. well because it occurred during juvenile.

court proceedings. the reporter who snuck into the. proceedings and reported that. damage these children and this family. even more it was Despicable. what they did in reporting that and. but because again I have an agreement. with the court that I'm not I won't. speak about the children and. particularly won't speak about. proceedings that occurred in the. confines of the Sanctified confines of. that juvenile court I'm not going to.

comment on that okay and and Kevin what. are his steps right now to try to get. the children back. he's Consulting with professionals he's. uh we're working in conjunction with the. state of Utah through the juvenile court. to. work with them to take direction from. them about what they feel would be. necessary to heal his family and. try to figure out a way if possible to.

reunify the family. has the rest of the family the older. siblings have they agreed that perhaps. that Kevin would be the best person to. take care of the minor children. you know what I can't speak to that. they've had private conversations with. their dad and. uh I'm just not at Liberty to speak. about that I I don't want to I don't. want to disturb those private. conversations between he and his uh his. kids. does Kevin plan to attend the rest of.

this criminal process for uh Jody and. Ruby the hearings potential trial. well the hearings are taking place down. in Washington County down in St George. which is about a two and a half hour. drive from where Kevin lives and so most. of those is probably not going to attend. if they require him to attend he'll go. but my guess is he probably isn't. interested in attending those. does he plan to cooperate or is this a.

situation where he may decide to plead. the fifth and protect his rights. well thus far he hasn't been accused of. any crimes and in my view I don't think. he's committed to any crimes so. uh and his uh had pretty much full. disclosure through the juvenile court. which my understanding of that. discussion he he's he's simply alleged. that he's. he hasn't committed any crimes and I.

don't believe they believe that he has. the police haven't contacted me no one's. contacted me about him being charged. with any crimes but the system is what. it is we don't know what's upcoming so. we're having to be circumspect about. what we say and what we reveal. so in other words law enforcement is. given no indication whatsoever that they. are looking at your client as a. potential criminal criminal defendant. they've pretty much been silent haven't. said one way or the other.

um so for the lot of people who are. looking at your client making. assumptions about what he may or may not. have done what is the message that you. want out there. uh just what I keep repeating that if. you get to know Kevin he is. an incredibly decent guy he's a he's. been a great father he's provided for. these this entire family even during his. absence he's made sure that they had. financial means to to provide for.

whatever they needed. um he's never been a violent person he's. never severely disciplined his children. and especially not in a physical way. and uh. 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 uh 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. keep this family together. and make sure that they Thrive and that. they recover from this abuse. all right Randy Caster thank you so much. for taking the time we really do. appreciate it well nice to meet you guys. and thanks for letting us have an outlet.

to kind of get his side of the story out. there all right everybody that's all we. have for you here on sidebar thank you. so much for joining us please subscribe. on Apple podcast Spotify YouTube. wherever you get your podcast I'm Jesse. Weber I'll speak to you next time. thank you. foreign.