UT - Parenting influencer, Ruby Franke, and blogger/podcast partner Jodi Hildebrandt, arrested for Child Abuse, Aug 2023

[imstilla.grandma]

Ruby Franke, the host of a now-defunct YouTube parenting channel, pleaded guilty on Monday to four counts of aggravated child abuse over the treatment of her children.
Ms. Franke, who was known for videos that chronicled her strict parenting style on social media, was arrested along with her business partner in Utah in September. The police said at the time that two of Ms. Franke’s children appeared malnourished, and one of them had duct tape on his ankles and wrists as well as open wounds. Her plea was part of an agreement with prosecutors.

The maximum penalty for each of the counts is 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Ms. Franke, 41, will remain incarcerated until she is sentenced in 2024, according to the attorney’s office

Former YouTube Parenting Channel Host Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse

Ruby Franke, 41, was charged with six counts of child abuse in September. Her channel had nearly 2.5 million subscribers before it was removed.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Herat]

So maximum is 60 years total, if given consecutively, and $40,000 ?

 

[Snoopster]

On the news video below I thought I heard Brian Schnee say that each of the 4 charges carries a sentence of 1 to 15 years. So, since she must serve her sentences consecutively that means a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 60 years.
Imagine holding your child's head under water! <seething>

 

[tlcya]

I wonder if Ruby has told the family court that her outbursts to the court about certain minor abused children allegedly engaging in SA of other children was bullcrap? I would very much like to see Ruby Franke do the right thing and clear up that fallacy she told the family court, for the children's sake. Of course I am sure it will be couched in a way to make it all Jodi's fault

 

[meanmaryjean]

Hopefully a termination of parental rights in perpetuity is part of the plea.

 

[strawberry]

I wonder if Ruby has told the family court that her outbursts to the court about certain minor abused children allegedly engaging in SA of other children was bullcrap? I would very much like to see Ruby Franke do the right thing and clear up that fallacy she told the family court, for the children's sake. Of course I am sure it will be couched in a way to make it all Jodi's fault

I was wondering this too. Poor little guy. Remember in the 911 call he told the. Sigh or it was his own fault he was being punished

 

[tlcya]

I was wondering this too. Poor little guy. Remember in the 911 call he told the. Sigh or it was his own fault he was being punished

my heart breaks for him.

 

[gitana1]

I’m so worried she’s going to get a slap on the wrist. She was abusive long before Hildebrandt. She denied food to a six year expecting a six year old child to remember to pack her own lunch! Disgusting, evil woman. And her husband? Nah. He cannot say he didn’t know. He is on camera chastising those who criticized the couple for their harsh punishments, saying someone is wrong with those who disagree with their parenting methods.

Finally, his true, nasty nature was revealed when he tried to have his daughter arrested for taking items out of the house. The challenging, arrogant body language of that man toward the cops tells me he hasn’t changed.

I truly hope poor RF is allowed to be around other children and that family and experts have spoken up and not allowed the continued abuse of isolation, due to the lies of his monstrous mother.

But I truly fear she’s going to get the minimum or close to it. There are always rewards for agreeing to testify and for pleading guilty.

Finally, before sentencing, I desperately hope that someone apprises the judge of the abuse that woman inflicted on her kids long before JH was involved.

 

[Lusitana]

I'm surprised how quickly a deeply brainwashed mother who horrifically abused her children became lucid when confronted with the severity of the punishments she would get if she didn't turn on the one who brainwashed her. Yeah, right.

She knew what she was doing the whole time and she was ALWAYS abusive and neglectful.

 

[Kemug]

And she deserves everything she gets. Those poor kids will never fully recover IMO, they are already serving a life sentence. And so should she. But 60 years will do nicely.

 

[Lusitana]

And she deserves everything she gets. Those poor kids will never fully recover IMO, they are already serving a life sentence. And so should she. 60 years will do nicely.

The fact that the oldest two accepted reuniting with their father paints a very clear picture. None of them will probably be able to break away.

 

[renah]

Thank God RF was able to get help. After reading the description of the abuse both children suffered, I dont think they would have lasted much longer.

 

[iusedtofloat]

So maximum is 60 years total, if given consecutively, and $40,000 ?

Correct as far as I am reading it. Doubtful she will get 60, tragically.

I’m so worried she’s going to get a slap on the wrist. She was abusive long before Hildebrandt. She denied food to a six year expecting a six year old child to remember to pack her own lunch! Disgusting, evil woman. And her husband? Nah. He cannot say he didn’t know. He is on camera chastising those who criticized the couple for their harsh punishments, saying someone is wrong with those who disagree with their parenting methods.

Finally, his true, nasty nature was revealed when he tried to have his daughter arrested for taking items out of the house. The challenging, arrogant body language of that man toward the cops tells me he hasn’t changed.

I truly hope poor RF is allowed to be around other children and that family and experts have spoken up and not allowed the continued abuse of isolation, due to the lies of his monstrous mother.

But I truly fear she’s going to get the minimum or close to it. There are always rewards for agreeing to testify and for pleading guilty.

Finally, before sentencing, I desperately hope that someone apprises the judge of the abuse that woman inflicted on her kids long before JH was involved.

THANK YOU for bringing up how Kevin treated his daughter for simply gathering her siblings' belongings for their sake, from the home.

I too fear she will get minimum. My guess is 5-10 years. Because Utah.

I am one of those people who saw this a long time coming... saw one of her YT videos being covered by a YouTuber I like years ago now, and knew she was very unstable immediately. She laughs in joy when hearing her kids describe how their summer plans are nothing because they have no friends - they look on the brink of tears, she literally could NOT look any happier about it.

I'm surprised how quickly a deeply brainwashed mother who horrifically abused her children became lucid when confronted with the severity of the punishments she would get if she didn't turn on the one who brainwashed her. Yeah, right.

She knew what she was doing the whole time and she was ALWAYS abusive and neglectful.

yes yes yes. all of this is right.

Thank God RF was able to get help. After reading the description of the abuse both children suffered, I dont think they would have lasted much longer.

agree, just like timothy Ferguson. I think it was already escalating to that point.

 

[Snoopster]

<sigh>

I know we saw that plea agreement details above, but this Law & Crime Sidebar goes through it line by line (horrific) and discusses the potential sentence.

How will these kids ever recover from the physical, but more lasting psychological harm that they've suffered? And what about the other children. Surely they knew at least some of what went on. They must carry the guilt, even though they were also victims.

 

[Shadowtrix]

Unfortunately, no way is she getting 60 years. AJ Freund’s mother was only sentenced to 30 something and AJ was literally beaten to death. JMO she will receive a light sentence, and that angers me to type.

 

[gitana1]

I'm surprised how quickly a deeply brainwashed mother who horrifically abused her children became lucid when confronted with the severity of the punishments she would get if she didn't turn on the one who brainwashed her. Yeah, right.

She knew what she was doing the whole time and she was ALWAYS abusive and neglectful.

Bingo!! Well said.

 

[gitana1]

And she deserves everything she gets. Those poor kids will never fully recover IMO, they are already serving a life sentence. And so should she. But 60 years will do nicely.

Yes it’s going to be hard for those kids to unlearn that they are evil. Poor darlings.

It’s dreadful. I’ve seen some clips from before and both kids seemed adorable and sweet. The poor little boy seems especially sensitive, sobbing in one clip because he felt sorry for his monster of a mother, for something that happened to something of hers, iirc. And he was tortured like that? He’s going to be particularly damaged.

 

[gitana1]

The fact that the oldest two accepted reuniting with their father paints a very clear picture. None of them will probably be able to break away.

Yes. That’s worrying.

 

[gitana1]

Correct as far as I am reading it. Doubtful she will get 60, tragically.

THANK YOU for bringing up how Kevin treated his daughter for simply gathering her siblings' belongings for their sake, from the home.

I too fear she will get minimum. My guess is 5-10 years. Because Utah.

I am one of those people who saw this a long time coming... saw one of her YT videos being covered by a YouTuber I like years ago now, and knew she was very unstable immediately. She laughs in joy when hearing her kids describe how their summer plans are nothing because they have no friends - they look on the brink of tears, she literally could NOT look any happier about it.


yes yes yes. all of this is right.

agree, just like timothy Ferguson. I think it was already escalating to that point.

Yes. She’s a sadist. And an actress. She totally enjoyed punishing her children and seeing them suffer. Oh I so hope she gets serious time.

 

[Lusitana]

Yes it’s going to be hard for those kids to unlearn that they are evil. Poor darlings.

It’s dreadful. I’ve seen some clips from before and both kids seemed adorable and sweet. The poor little boy seems especially sensitive, sobbing in one clip because he felt sorry for his monster of a mother, for something that happened to something of hers, iirc. And he was tortured like that? He’s going to be particularly damaged.

R. was always VERY sensitive on the videos. I recall her posting a video stating how sweet, sentive and kind R. was a long time ago. My guess is that, once Chad moved out, R. was the next in line to become the "evil" kid.