A Utah mother of six, who rose to fame on her family YouTube channel with over 2 million followers, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of child abuse. Ruby Franke, known for her 8 Passengers channel, and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were taken into custody after a neighbor reported a malnourished child with open wounds and duct tape on their extremities.
According to arrest documents obtained by Fox 13, the child sought help from a neighbor, begging for food and water, and was later transported to a local hospital due to the severity of their condition. Another malnourished child was discovered in the Ivins residence, and four minors were placed under the care of child services. Limited information has been released by the authorities due to the sensitive nature of the case.
Several social media users have raised concerns about Franke’s parenting style, analyzing their online content for signs of abuse. In 2020, a viewer even started a petition to involve child protective services. Some users reported the parents after their son revealed that he had been punished by sleeping on a beanbag for playing pranks on his younger brother. The parents claimed that it was their son’s choice and that he could return to his bedroom when he changed his behavior.
Viewers also criticized Franke for allegedly withholding food from her children, neglecting them to nap, and making inappropriate comments. The Frankes argued that the clips were taken out of context and that they aimed to teach their children about responsibility. As a result of the controversy, the 8 Passengers channel was shut down, and Franke and Hildebrandt launched ConneXions, a paid parenting support group.
However, the new brand faced even more criticism, with some followers claiming it had cult-like messaging. Accusations were made that parents who made decisions based on how their children would react were being led by the child rather than principles or virtues. Shari Franke, Ruby Franke’s estranged 20-year-old daughter, addressed her mother’s arrest on Instagram, expressing relief that justice was being served and encouraging followers to report the ConneXions account to get it taken down.
Meta, the owner of Instagram, has not yet responded to inquiries about the ConneXions account.
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