According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Ruby Franke, the Utah mother behind the now-defunct family YouTube channel 8 Passengers, was detained on Wednesday night on two counts of severe child abuse.
Jodi Hildebrandt, Franke’s business partner, was also detained on the same allegations. They frequently work together to produce parenting and relationship guidance videos for Hildebrandt’s ConneXions life counseling service. ConneXions has previously come under fire for its parenting advice, which includes elevating the group’s “principles of truth” above a person’s kids.
NBC News reached out to Franke and Hildebrandt representatives for comment, but they did not answer right away. A plea for comment from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department likewise went unanswered right away.
Through the 8 Passengers YouTube channel, which included her husband Kevin and six kids, Franke gained notoriety in 2015. Before it was shut down earlier this year, the channel had a subscriber base of about 2.3 million. Why the channel got taken off YouTube is unknown.
Some viewers have reported the Frankes to the authorities as a result of their harsh parenting style. According to Insider, in June 2020, several viewers contacted the parents’ local child protective services when their then-15-year-old son Chad claimed in a video that he had slept on a beanbag for seven months. Ruby Franke claimed at the time that Chad’s “choice” of sleeping arrangements came after he was kicked out of the room he shared with his younger brother due to behavioral concerns.
In films where she refused to bring her then-6-year-old child lunch because he had forgotten to pack food and threatened to trash away her children’s cherished items, Ruby Franke also received criticism.
On Wednesday night, Shari Franke, the oldest child, wrote on her Instagram Story about her mother being arrested. Shari Franke, who had previously stated on social media that she was cut off from her family, published a photo of police officers along with the remark, “Finally.
In another Instagram Story post, Shari Franke wrote, “Hi all. Today has been a big day. Me and my family are so glad justice is being served. We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up.”
“Kids are safe, but there’s a long road ahead,” she continued in her post. “Please keep them in your prayers and also respect their privacy.”
On Thursday, she also asked her followers to share “any questionable or concerning ConneXions or 8Passengers videos” with her. Requests for feedback from Shari Franke did not immediately receive a response.
The state of Utah defines severe child abuse as an act that “inflicts upon a child serious physical injury” or “causes or permits another to inflict serious physical injury upon a child.” The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reports that Franke and Hildebrandt are still being held.
