The August 2023 arrest of Ruby Franke uncovered the horrifying extent of her abusive behavior. A new docuseries examines the relationship between the convicted “momfluencer” and her family’s life counselor, Jodi Hildebrandt.
Franke’s shocking crimes and their aftermath are examined in Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence, debuting Monday, September 1 at 9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery. According to a news release, the four-part project “charts the magnetic connection” between Franke and Hildebrandt, which ultimately turned criminal.
Prior to Ruby’s apprehension, many knew the Utah mother of six as a charismatic social media personality through her family's once popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers. But away from the camera, her behavior became much more sinister than anyone imagined. It was discovered she and Hildebrandt had inflicted horrific mental and physical abuse on two of Ruby’s children, subjecting them to starvation, confinement, and other heinous acts.
The case drew national attention, particularly after the release of police documents and other evidence in March 2024 that brought shocking details of the mistreatment to light. Ruby, 43, is now serving up to three decades in prison for her role in the crimes.
Because of the horrifying nature of the mistreatment, as well as Ruby’s quasi-celebrity status, the story stands out as one of the most infamous child abuse cases in recent memory.
Franke rooted her family life in faith
Born in Utah in January 1982, Ruby grew up with three sisters and started a large family of her own after marrying Kevin Franke, formerly a professor of engineering at Brigham Young University, in 2000. The former couple share six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve. Their kids were born between March 2003 and September 2013.
As devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, religion heavily influenced the Frankes’ family dynamic. Ruby told Salt Lake City television affiliate KSL in 2016 that although her family wasn’t “loud and in your face” about their faith, one benefit of the group’s social media presence was being able to share beliefs “in a way that they normally wouldn’t.”
Privately, however, Ruby began to fixate on religious themes, making frequent references to the devil, demons, and possession in her journal writings. In one entry, she labeled one of her kids as “Satanic” and, in another, described how the child “slithers & sneaks around looking for opportunities when no one is watching.”
The well-known YouTube creator had received flack for her parenting
Long before Ruby began documenting these ominous observations, she and her husband rose to internet fame thanks to the YouTube account they started in 2015. Their channel, 8 Passengers, chronicled the lives of the couple and their six children and attracted more more than 2 million subscribers. The couple offered glimpses of their methods for raising and disciplining the kids as well as home-schooling them.
But along with the channel’s popularity came concerns and criticism over the pair’s harsh parenting style, as some of the videos drew suspicions of abuse and exploitation from viewers. According to NBC News, child protective services were called to the Franke home in June 2020 as the result of a Change.org petition, which cited an 8 Passengers video in which their then-15-year-old son said he had slept on a bean bag for seven months as a form of punishment. The case was closed when the claims were found unsubstantiated.
However, other instances of potential mistreatment began circulating. In another video, Ruby told viewers she refused to deliver a school lunch to Eve, then 6, after her daughter forgot to pack one. “Hopefully, nobody gives her food and nobody steps in and gives her a lunch, because then she’s not going to learn from the natural outcome,” she explained. The mother also threatened to throw her children’s important possessions away unless they bought them back with cash or performed “equivalent-value” chores.
These seemingly obvious warning signs and the response they generated weren’t enough to curtail Ruby’s questionable parenting style. It only seemed to grow harsher after she connected with a new business partner and life coach named Jodi Hildebrandt.
Franke was further influenced by an “extreme” life coaching service
Shortly after Ruby discontinued the 8 Passengers channel in 2022 and separated from Kevin, she began collaborating with Jodi Hildebrandt and her coaching service, ConneXions. A therapist who specialized in porn and sex addiction, Hildebrant started ConneXions in 2007 to provide counseling on relationships and parenting. According to NBC News, a number of former clients said its offerings were rooted in the teachings of the LDS faith and that Hildebrandt, now 56, used “an extreme approach” that sometimes included shaming.
Ruby built a professional relationship with Hildebrandt, appearing in videos with her and eventually receiving the title of “certified mental fitness trainer” on the ConneXions website. She later claimed she wasn’t a business partner and never received wages from Hildebrandt or the company.
In the meantime, Ruby had also sought Hildebrandt’s guidance for her own family. The mother said Hildebrandt counseled one of her sons in 2019 and that she began employing Hildebrandt as a personal mentor the following year. Ultimately, she said Hildebrandt’s counseling led her to embrace a “distorted version of reality.”
“I was led to believe that this world was an evil place filled with cops who control, hospitals that injure, government agencies that brainwash, church leaders who lie and lust, husbands who refuse to protect, and children who need abuse,” she said in court prior to her sentencing.
Franke withheld food and water from 2 of her kids
Court documents have detailed the frightening scope of Ruby’s abuse, which occurred from May through August 2023. According to her plea agreement, Ruby forced one of her sons to perform physical tasks for hours and even days at a time in hazardous conditions. He labored outside without shoes and suffered repeated sunburns “with blistered and sloughing skins.” She also denied the boy adequate food and punished him after discovering he had consumed water without her consent.
The then-12-year-old boy also suffered injuries to his wrists and ankles, including damaged muscle and tissue, from ropes and handcuffs that Hildebrandt used to bind him. The wounds were then improperly treated with cayenne pepper and honey, the boy told police officers, and covered with duct tape.
One of Ruby’s daughters similarly worked outside in bare feet and didn’t receive adequate food and water. Documents from the case report she was repeatedly told she was “evil and possessed.”
According to People, the boy tried to run away from Hildebrandt’s home in July 2023 but was caught and bound at his hands and feet with two sets of handcuffs. However, another pivotal moment of bravery would finally ensure the hellish conditions inside the home were brought to light.
A daring escape led to Franke’s arrest
Weeks later on August 30, Ruby’s son attempted another escape and successfully climbed through a window of Hildebrandt’s home. The boy sought help at two nearby houses, but no one responded. He rang the doorbell of a third home and, thinking the result was the same, began to leave when a man opened the door.
“Hey. I was just wondering if you could do two favors?” he asked, before explaining, “If you could take me to the nearest police station... well, actually just one [favor] is fine.” Doorbell camera footage showed the neighbor, seeing the boy was emaciated and covered in wounds, offered him water, a banana, and a chair to sit down before calling authorities. Holding back tears, the man described the boy’s condition, saying he was hungry and thirsty, and waited on the phone until an ambulance arrived minutes later.
Ruby’s son then directed police to Hildebrandt’s home, where they executed a search of the property based on exigent circumstances. Inside the house, they found the boy’s 9-year-old sister inside a closet with her head shaved.
Hildebrandt and Franke were arrested and each charged with six counts of child abuse. Four of Franke’s children were placed in state custody.
Franke’s oldest daughter and sisters disowned her
The fallout from Ruby’s apprehension was swift. On September 6, 2023, YouTube announced it had banned Ruby and terminated her two channels on the site according to its creator responsibility guidelines.
Her oldest daughter Shari, who had cut ties with her family in 2022, posted an Instagram story showing Ruby’s arrest with a short caption: “Finally.” In another post, she suggested the abuse of her siblings might have been prolonged, saying, “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.”
On September 13, Ruby’s sister Bonnie Hoellein, a family vlogger herself, released a video explaining that she and her other siblings, Ellie Mecham and Julie Griffiths, were estranged from Ruby and her family and had no knowledge of the abuse. “We were cut off. We did not have access to anyone,” Hoellein said, later ending the video, “I am not my sister. I am not my sister’s mistakes.”
Shari, 22, has since detailed her childhood experiences in her memoir, The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom. Ahead of the book’s January 2025 release, she claimed to ABC’s Good Morning America that Ruby exhibited abusive behavior long before her arrest. “When I was younger around, like, 5-6 [years old], Ruby was really physical,” Shari told reporter Eva Pilgrim. “Whether it was like a slap to the lip or a slap to the cheek… when I would practice the piano, her hand would slam and it was really scary.”
Shari is a vocal critic of family vlogging and its potential effects on children. “I’ve witnessed the damage of what happens when your life is put online,” Shari told People. “There’s no ethical way to do it.”
The influencer is now in prison
While members of the Franke family had shared their stories, the legal system still needed to weigh in. Franke and Hildebrandt’s fates were headed to court.
Following her arrest, Franke alleged even more disturbing secrets about her family. During a September 2023 court appearance from prison, she claimed that one of her minor children had sexually abused up to 20 people, including a sibling. However, she provided no proof of the accusations, and there has been no public acknowledgement of any additional investigations.
Franke and Hildebrandt remained in custody without bail until December, when prosecutors requested a waiver hearing, signaling a possible plea bargain. That’s exactly what happened on December 18, with Franke pleading guilty to four felony counts of aggravated child abuse. Hildebrandt similarly pleaded guilty.
On February 20, 2024, Franke was sentenced to four consecutive prison terms of 1 to 15 years. While the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine how much jail time she actually serves, it won’t be more than 30 years because of a Utah law regarding consecutive sentences.
“It is important to me to demonstrate my remorse and regret without blame. I take full accountability for my choices, and it is my preference that I serve a prison sentence,” Franke tearfully said at her hearing. She is currently incarcerated at the Utah State Correctional Facility, where she is believed to be pursuing a degree behind bars. She isn’t in contact with Kevin or their children. Her original hearing for parole is scheduled for December 2026.
Meanwhile, Hildebrandt received the same four consecutive terms for her guilty plea, while Kevin, who filed for divorce from Ruby in November 2023, wasn’t charged with any crimes in connection to the case. Their separation was legalized this March.
The story of Ruby and her family became the subject of the 2024 made-for-TV movie Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story, which aired on Lifetime and is now available to rent or own on Prime Video and Apple TV. The dramatized account stars Emilie Ullerup as Franke and Heather Locklear as Hildebrandt.
A three-part Hulu docuseries, Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, released in February 2025 and features interviews with Kevin, as well as Shari and Ruby’s son Chad.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
