YouTuber’s SHOCKING Child Abuse Horror

A wholesome Mormon mom with millions of YouTube fans starved and bound her own children in a demonic exorcism delusion, turning family vlogs into a chamber of horrors.

Story Snapshot

Ruby Franke built “8 Passengers” into a 2.5 million-subscriber empire by 2020 with strict parenting videos.
Public outrage over punishments like beanbag sleeping and no Christmas gifts led to channel suspension in 2022.
Franke partnered with disgraced therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, escalating to severe abuse ending in 2023 arrests.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and received up to 30 years in prison in 2024.
Daughter Shari exposed the abuse, aiding justice and sparking scrutiny of family vlogging.

Ruby Franke’s Rapid Rise on YouTube

Ruby Franke launched 8 Passengers in 2015 from Springville, Utah. She filmed daily life with husband Kevin, an engineer, and their six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve. Videos stressed Mormon discipline, obedience, and 6 a.m. wake-ups. The channel hit 2.5 million subscribers by 2020, generating over $100,000 monthly. Franke portrayed the perfect faith-driven family, amassing 1 billion views.

Viewers praised her tough-love approach initially. Franke enforced rules like no breakfast until chores done. Her content blended religion and parenting tips, resonating in Utah’s Mormon community known as Happy Valley. Sisters also vlogged but later distanced themselves. Fame transformed their home into a constant filming set, prioritizing image over privacy.

Controversies simmered early. In 2020, Franke punished a son by making him sleep on a bean bag for months, sparking backlash. Child Protective Services investigated but took no action. In 2021, she withheld Christmas gifts from youngest children for behavior issues. Critics called it emotional abuse, but fans defended it as biblical correction. Subscriber growth continued amid the uproar.

Channel Collapse and Dangerous Alliance

YouTube suspended 8 Passengers in 2022 after mounting complaints. Franke separated from Kevin that year. She joined ConneXions, run by Jodi Hildebrandt, a therapist whose license Utah revoked years earlier over patient complaints. Franke trained as a coach and launched Moms of Truth on Instagram, promoting extreme discipline as divine love. She moved children to Hildebrandt’s home in May 2023, shutting down the old channel.

Hildebrandt convinced Franke her children hosted demons, demanding exorcism-like punishments. Russell, 12, and a 9-year-old daughter endured starvation, isolation, barefoot runs, and binding with duct tape. Franke cut ties with eldest children Shari and Chad, labeling them rebellious. Shari, in college, researched Hildebrandt and alerted authorities, but Ruby disowned her. Kevin initially supported Ruby’s path.

On August 30, 2023, emaciated Russell escaped Hildebrandt’s home, rope around his ankles, and sought neighbor help. Police arrested Franke and Hildebrandt. Bodycam footage showed Russell’s cuts from forced yard work and shaved head. The 9-year-old daughter weighed just 34 pounds, ribs protruding. Evidence revealed months of torture masked as spiritual correction.

Guilty Plea, Sentencing, and Family Fallout

Franke pleaded guilty December 18, 2023, to four felony counts of aggravated child abuse. Hildebrandt did the same. On February 20, 2024, Judge Richard Mrazik sentenced each to four consecutive terms of 1-15 years, maximum 30 years. Franke apologized in court, blaming Hildebrandt initially, then admitting shared guilt. Both serve time separately at Utah State Correctional Facility, offender numbers assigned.

Kevin filed for divorce in November 2023, finalized March 20, 2025. He sued Hildebrandt for enabling the abuse. Shari published memoir The House of My Mother in January 2025, detailing piano beatings and track-running threats. Family issued statements supporting justice and child protections. Hulu’s 2025 docuseries Devil in the Family featured Kevin calling Ruby unstoppable in her zeal.

This scandal exposes family vlogging’s dark underbelly. Fame incentivized exploitation, unchecked by religious extremism and fake therapy. Common sense demands welfare checks on influencers; conservative values prioritize parental authority but draw lines at criminal harm. Facts show Ruby’s quest for validation destroyed her family, validating Shari’s whistleblowing as heroic common sense.