Disturbing discovery police made in Ruby Franke's basement before YouTuber was charged with child abuse
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Harrowing unheard details in the case of jailed child abuser Ruby Franke have come to light for the first time this week as part of a brand new true-crime documentary.
The former YouTube vlogger was sentenced in August 2023 to a maximum of 30 years behind bars, after the youngest of her six children escaped from the family home and alerted a neighbour, following months of torture and starvation.
Utah police subsequently discovered a handful of items in 43-year-old Ruby's basement, many of which she and close friend Jodi Hildebrandt had used to inflict both physical and emotional pain onto her kids.
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Who is Ruby Franke?
In the years prior to her arrest, Ruby Franke - a devout Christian and mother-of-six - had made a name for herself in parental vlogging.
Alongside her husband Kevin, she and their colossal brood shared 'daily life' videos on YouTube, on a channel called '8 Passengers' - which referred to her family's journey through life.
Her multi-million person fan-base, however, had no idea at the time that the Franke children's involvement in the vlogs were far from optional, and they'd each been exploited in order to help Ruby amass more fame and fortune.
Speaking in Hulu's new documentary Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke this week, her eldest daughter, Shari, 22, recalls she and her siblings being considered 'employees' to 'CEO' Ruby.
'8 Passengers' Youtube channel
"Our entire schedule revolved around YouTube," she explained.
Her brother, and Ruby's eldest son Chad also spoke in the three-part doc, revealing what the punishment would be if they declined.
"There were times that she blew up off camera," he explained.
"She would spank, whip, take the belt out and whip my butt. You know, pull down my pants, you know, whip me."
The success of '8 Passengers' was short-lived for Ruby, however, and in 2021, she was 'cancelled' uploading a video that heard Chad revealing he'd recently been made to sleep on a beanbag for seven months after losing his bedroom privileges.
Amid the uproar, Ruby became intrigued by the work of another Utah local, strict parental discipline-advocating therapist Jodi Hilderbrandt - who was already infamous for her controversial views on parenting and marriage.
The two soon began hosting a 'cult'-like podcast together, Connexions, which resulted in Ruby kicking Chad, Kevin, and Shari out of the family home, and welcoming Hildebrandt to move in.
It was this decision, the trio say, that sparked Ruby's downfall.
Ruby's son escapes
In August 2023, a 12-year-old boy emerged from Ruby's property, before knocking on the door of a neighbour, where he asked for a ride to the police station.
"My first impression was how extremely emaciated he was," Detective Jessica Bate explains in the documentary. "Just nothing but skin and bone.
"I just recall being able to see the tendons on the upper part of his ankle in that achilles tendon area, front and back."
The detective recalled the boy explaining that he'd been tied up, and that he'd been held in handcuffs.
The child added that he had a younger sister at the property, that he hadn't seen in 'over a month'.
"He said he had heard her in the home, but they had been totally separate," the officer continued.
After doing a sweep through Ruby's home for another possible child, her youngest daughter was found sitting on the floor of the upstairs bathroom.
Her head had been shaved, she'd been starved, and she had visible wounds.
Police then came across a basement with concrete floors and walls, that contained a colossal locked safe.
Hildebrandt 'torture' chamber
After testing the code with the numbers 1234, officers entered, only to make an even more stomach-wrenching discovery.
Detective Bate recalled finding rope, handcuffs, gauze, a 'cayenne pepper and honey paste - which was made to put on his wounds'.
Officers also found duct-tape in the basement, which had caused injuries to the children's feet.
Ruby is arrested
Six months after she and Hildebrandt were arrested, the pair were convicted and given four separate prison sentences for one to 15 years, with the length of each sentence decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
She'd told officers said her two youngest children were 'evil and possessed', and admitted to denying them of both food and water on several occasions, handcuffing her son's wrists and ankles and holding him underwater.
Due to a law in the area, she and Hildebrandt's sentences are capped at a maximum of 30 years.
Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is now available to streaming on Hulu.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Crime, Documentaries, Ruby Franke, TV And Film, True Crime, US News, Parenting
Rhianna Benson