YouTube star Ruby Franke of the “8 Passengers” channel was arrested Wednesday after an “emaciated” child with duct tape around their extremities escaped and ran to a neighbor’s house for help.
The arrest record, obtained by Pvnew Thursday, states that the child fled through a window of Franke’s business partner Jodi Hildebrandt’s house in Ivins, Utah, and asked the neighbor for food and water — but when the Good Samaritan noticed duct tape on the child’s ankles and wrists, they called police.
“The calling party stated the juvenile appeared to be emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds and duct tape around the extremities,” a statement from local authorities reads.
Police on the scene described the unidentified child’s wounds, neglect and malnourishment to be so “severe” that they transported the victim to the nearby Saint George Regional Hospital.
The child was placed on a medical hold “due to deep lacerations from being tied up with rope,” per the cops.
Another malnourished child was discovered shortly thereafter, according to the documents, and also transported to the hospital.
The report states that Franke, who is known for her family’s YouTube channel, had filmed a video in Hildebrandt’s home just days before the incident, indicating that the vlogger had “knowledge of the abuse, malnourishment and neglect.”
Police also arrested Hildebrandt, who worked as Franke’s ConneXions co-founder and a licensed therapist.
Franke, 41, declined to speak to authorities and instead requested a lawyer, the report says.
The court ordered that Franke be held in the Washington County jail without bail.
Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested under suspicion of two counts of aggravated child abuse. Four of Franke’s children remain in the care of the Department of Child and Family Services.
In Utah, the definition of aggravated child abuse includes starvation, broken bones, head injuries from hitting or shaking and suffocation.
If intentionally inflicted, the perpetrator faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Ruby Franke arrest: What you need to know
Ruby Franke was a “momfluencer” who had one of YouTube’s biggest channels, “8 Passengers,” which documented her and her husband, Kevin, and their six kids.
Franke was arrested on Aug. 30, 2023, on two counts of aggravated child abuse and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Franke’s arrest came after an emaciated child with duct tape around their extremities escaped and ran to a neighbor’s house for help.
Franke’s sisters released a joint statement saying they did everything they could to protect their nieces and nephews “behind the public scene” and that the arrest “needed to happen.”
Through a lawyer, Franke’s husband denied having any part in the abuse.
Franke in court accused one of her own children of sexually abusing a sibling for years.
YouTube has deleted Franke’s account and banned her from the platform.
Ruby’s husband, Kevin Franke, told us via his attorney, Randy S. Kester, that his “urgent focus is simply to keep his children together under his fatherly care.”
Ruby’s siblings and her estranged daughter, Shari, all have released statements about her arrest.
“Today has been a big day. Me and my family are so glad justice is being served,” Shari wrote on Instagram.
“We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up.”
