Parenting Advice YouTuber Ruby Franke Of Utah Set To Take Plea Agreement In Child Abuse Case

A Utah mother of six, Ruby Franke, who gave parenting advice on a once-popular YouTube channel called “8 Passengers,” is scheduled to enter a plea agreement on charges that she assaulted and starved two of her children at a hearing on Monday, according to her attorney.

According to a statement released by Winward Law on Friday, the alleged abuse occurred while Ruby Franke was influenced by a relationship counselor who led her to “a distorted sense of morality.” The statement does not specify the counts Franke would plead guilty to or whether a plea deal has been reached.

“Ruby Franke is a devoted mother and a woman dedicated to continuous improvement,” Winward Law stated. Franke first thought Jodi Hildebrandt “had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement,” but she “took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous.”

Parenting Advice YouTuber Ruby Franke Of Utah Set To Take Plea Agreement In Child Abuse Case

Hildebrandt “systematically isolated Ruby Franke from her extended family, older children, and husband, Kevin,” according to the statement.

According to the 911 call published by the St. George authorities Department, Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on August 30 after Franke’s 12-year-old son fled from Hildebrandt’s house in the southern Utah city of Ivins and urged a neighbor to call authorities.

According to the caller, the youngster was thin and had duct tape around his ankles and wrists but refused to explain why.

“I think he’s been… detained,” the caller added, his voice cracking. “He’s obviously covered in wounds.”

According to court records, Ruby’s 10-year-old daughter was also discovered at Hildebrandt’s home. Both kids were sent to the hospital. Franke’s four youngest children were eventually brought into state custody.

Franke and Hildebrandt face six felony counts of aggravated child abuse. They have been imprisoned since their arrests.

“She has actively engaged in an introspection that has allowed her to reset her moral compass and understand the full weight of her actions,” according to Franke. “Ms. Franke is committed to accepting responsibility for her role in the events that led to her incarceration,” the statement stated.

According to a search request, the 12-year-old child informed police that “Jodi” tied the ropes around his ankles and wrists and that they used cayenne pepper and honey to treat the rope wounds.

Kevin Franke has requested a divorce.

Hildebrandt has agreed not to see patients until state licensing officials investigate the allegations. According to court records, her next court appearance is scheduled for December 27. Douglas Terry, her attorney, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the charges against Hildebrandt in Franke’s attorney’s statement.

The Franks were chastised online for their “8 Passengers” video blog, which showed parenting practices such as barring their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother.

Parenting Advice YouTuber Ruby Franke Of Utah Set To Take Plea Agreement In Child Abuse Case

In previous recordings, Ruby discussed refusing to take a kindergartener’s lunch because she had forgotten it at home and threatening to cut the head off a young girl’s plush toy to punish her for cutting things around the house.

In one video, Ruby stated that she and her husband informed their two youngest children that they would not receive gifts from Santa Claus that year because they had been selfish and were not responding to punishments such as being held home from school and cleaning the floorboards.

The YouTube channel began in 2015 and was shut down after seven years.

Ruby is a family vlogger known for sharing her daily life and adventures on the YouTube channel 8 Passengers.

She documents her life as a mother of six children and provides parenting tips and family-oriented content. Ruby and her family have garnered a substantial following on social media platforms, with a focus on wholesome and relatable content for viewers of all ages.

SOURCE – (AP)