Ruby Franke’s sister Bonnie Hoellein insisted that the family did “as much as we could” to protect the six kids from the alleged abuse they endured.
Hoellein shared an emotional YouTube video Thursday evening, which has since been made private, where she said she and her siblings couldn’t “have really anticipated” the “8 Passenger” star’s arrest this week.
“My sisters and I, we are on the very same page. … and for the last three years we have truly clung onto each other, offering support to one another, and I don’t think any of us could have ever seen this coming,” she shared, holding back tears.
“We all did as much as we could legally, and you don’t know what you don’t know.”
Ruby and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were arrested in Utah this week on suspicion of aggravated child abuse.
Police responded to a neighbor’s call who claimed an “emaciated” child showed up and begged for water, only to discover the kid had duct tape around their hands and feet.
The child, as well as an additional one, was transported to a nearby hospital, and Ruby and Hildebrandt were taken to Washington County jail where they remain held without bail.
The travesty has left Hoellein feeling “numb.”
“The only thing that we ultimately care about is that our nieces and nephews are safe and they are,” Hoellein shared, noting that the allegations against her sister have been testing her “belief in God.”
“I know that [the kids] will be taken care of,” she added. “I know the kids will be OK.”
In the caption of the video, Hollein added, “It feels like a weight has been lifted as we now know our nieces and nephews are safe.”
Hoellein’s video came after the siblings released a joint statement explaining why they “kept quiet” about the alleged abuse.
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.
As Pvnew previously reported, the Franke kids who are minors are in the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services.
Ruby’s husband, Kevin, spoke out via his attorney saying his “urgent focus is simply to keep his children together under his fatherly care.”
Fans grew concerned about the welfare of the Franke kids after one since-deleted video featured Chad revealing he had been sleeping on a beanbag for seven months after having his bedroom taken away from him.
Another video featured Ruby sharing that she refused to bring her 6-year-old daughter’s lunch to school to teach her a lesson after she had forgotten it.
Ruby denied the abuse and instead insisted it was fans being “malicious.”
