Family vlogger Ruby Franke pleads guilty to felony child abuse charges as part of plea
Former family vlogger Ruby Franke of YouTube channel '8 Passengers' appeared in court Monday morning to face the child abuse charges brought against her after her August arrest.
As reported by AP, Franke appeared in court today donning jail clothes and pleaded guilty to four felony counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse as part of a plea agreement. When submitting her final plea, Franke reportedly said, “With my deepest regret and sorrow for my family and my children, guilty.”
The plea was accepted by Judge John J. Walton, who set Franke's sentencing date for Feb. 20. According to AP, her plea agreement leaves the sentencing up to the judge and could still result in jail time. Franke's co-defendant is due in court Dec. 27 and has yet to publicly respond to Franke's plea.
Ruby Franke arrested and charged
In late August of this year, Franke, known for her family vlogging channel featuring her husband and six kids, was taken into custody along with friend and business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, following the discovery of a "severely emaciated and malnourished" child.
Police were called to the home of Hildebrandt after one of Franke's children climbed out a window and went to a neighbor's house asking for food and water. Noticing duct tape wrapped around the child's wrists and ankles, the neighbor called authorities, who arrived to find one child who was "severely emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds" and another Franke child in the home who was also malnourished, according to court documents.
While serving a search warrant, police found evidence in the home "consistent with the markings found on the juvenile." The documents also said that Franke had been seen filming in the home days before, meaning she was aware of the condition of the children.
Franke was likewise accused of mistreating her own kids and is facing six felony child abuse charges. Ahead of her planned court appearance, her attorneys released a statement on her behalf, saying that she has cooperated with prosecutors and placing guilt for her actions on Hildebrandt's shoulders, saying in part, "It is our firm belief that Ms. Franke is a devoted mother who, unfortunately, was led astray."
What can we expect to see in the court appearance? Here's what we know so far.
Who is Ruby Franke:8 Passengers family vlogger arrested on child abuse charges
Ruby Franke to accept plea, places blame on co-defendant Hildebrandt
Franke is set to appear in a Utah Washington County court Monday morning around 11 a.m. MST. In a statement released by Winward Law, the Utah-based firm representing Franke, it was confirmed she would be accepting a plea agreement to "resolve this matter quickly."
The statement, said to be issued on behalf of Franke and reported by Utah channel KUTV 2News, likewise pointed a finger of blame toward co-defendant and ex-business partner Hildebrandt, with whom she founded the controversial parenting group "ConneXions."
Hildebrandt, who has yet to issue her own statement, was once a clinical mental health counselor but has since voluntarily relinquished her licensure as of September.
While the pair last appeared in court together on Sept. 8, it appears Franke has changed her story on Hildebrandt in the months following her arrest, claiming her ex-friend "isolated her from extended family, older children, and her husband," leading to what her attorney's statement called "prolonged isolation" that "resulted in Ms. Franke being subjected to a distorted sense of morality, shaped by Ms. Hildebrandt’s influence."
The statement did not reveal any details about the plea agreement but it did allege that Franke has changed during her incarceration, saying: "Ms. Franke is committed to taking responsibility for the part she played in the events leading up to her incarceration. Demonstrating a sincere dedication to personal growth and rehabilitation, she has actively begun the process by reaching out to members of her family."
It is not known if a plea deal is on the table for Hildebrandt and her attorney has yet to respond to Franke's statement or plea. Representation for Hildebrandt and Franke did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Who is Ruby Franke?
Ruby Franke is a Utah mother of six, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a formerly popular family vlog YouTuber. One of the stars of the "8 Passengers" YouTube channel that once raked in millions of views and followers, she became the subject of widespread criticism online for her parenting choices.
The pushback intensified when Franke co-founded parenting advice and support program "ConneXions" with Hildebrandt, which has been called a "cult" by some online. Many found the parenting style promoted by the pair to be extreme and harsh. The frequent inclusion of what has been called homophobic, racist and transphobic comments did not help their popularity.
In one oft-referenced example, Franke told viewers that children do not deserve and should not receive unconditional love. Since her arrest in August she has remained held on bail and her husband, Kevin Franke, has filed for divorce.
What was '8 passengers'?
"8 Passengers" was a YouTube channel started in 2015 that documented the lives of mom and dad Ruby and Kevin Franke and their six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve. At its peak, it boasted 2.5 million subscribers and was known as one of the most famous - or infamous - family video channels.
The channel was removed from YouTube earlier this year.
While their content has attracted controversy for a number of years, the last three have been specifically damaging for the family, as viewers began circulating petitions and reporting what they saw as evidence of child abuse and neglect to local authorities.
Amongst some of the most infamous incidents were one in which Franke refused to bring food to school for her 6-year-old daughter, who had forgotten to pack her lunch, and another in which one of their sons said he was being forced to sleep on a beanbag after playing pranks on his brothers.
In another, she took Christmas away from one of her young children as punishment for being "selfish." In many instances, she could be seen threatening to withhold food or otherwise punishing her children in a way viewers found to be too severe. Franke's daughter, Shari Franke, has likewise spoken out multiple times about her family, saying she had "been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this."
"8 Passengers" has been cited by activists as just one of many examples of family vlogging channels that have left children unprotected and easily exploitable. In response, Illinois recently passed a law meant specifically to introduce protections for minors appearing on their parents' monetized social media. Other states have since followed suit in passing or announcing intentions to pass similar laws.
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Full statement from Ruby Franke's lawyers
"Winward Law is making a statement on behalf of Ruby Franke regarding the pending charges in the Washington County 5th District Court along with her thoughts about her current family situation. Our client is working with the prosecutor’s office and anticipates resolving this matter quickly by entering a plea agreement with the court on Monday, December 18th.
"Ruby Franke is a devoted mother and is also a woman committed to constant improvement. Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrant had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrant took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous. Over an extended period, Ms. Hildebrant systematically isolated Ruby Franke from her extended family, older children, and her husband, Kevin Franke. This prolonged isolation resulted in Ms. Franke being subjected to a distorted sense of morality, shaped by Ms. Hildebrandt’s influence.
"During Ruby Franke’s incarceration in Washington County jail over the past few months, she has actively engaged in an introspection that has allowed her to reset her moral compass and understand the full weight of her actions. Ms. Franke is committed to taking responsibility for the part she played in the events leading up to her incarceration. Demonstrating a sincere dedication to personal growth and rehabilitation, she has actively begun the process by reaching out to members of her family. Through heartfelt apologies, she seeks to mend relationships and contribute positively to the healing journey of her family.
"Ruby is aware that Kevin Franke has filed for divorce. While she is devastated by this news, she acknowledges and understands his anger and reasoning. Despite the pain, she respects his decisions and remains hopeful that, with time, she can contribute to rebuilding trust and fostering understanding within their family. Ruby has offered her full cooperation to help the children reunite with their father.
"Winward Law recognizes the profound love that Ms. Franke holds for her children, and we are genuinely saddened that she found herself on this challenging path under the influence of Ms. Hildebrant. It is our firm belief that Ms. Franke is a devoted mother who, unfortunately, was led astray. She is sincere in her commitment to securing the best possible future for her family, and we remain hopeful that, with the right support and understanding, she can navigate a path of healing and growth."