Former YouTube family vlogger Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, known for her YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” has been sentenced to one to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. Franke’s ex-business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, received the same sentence at the Washington County 5th District Court in Utah. The charges stemmed from incidents in September involving abuse against two of Franke’s children, leading to six felony child abuse charges. Both Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four of these counts. The duration of their imprisonment will be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. During the sentencing hearing, Franke expressed remorse to her children, Shari and Chad, who were present in court alongside their father, Kevin.
“i will in no way stop crying for hurting your soft souls.
You are so precious to me, i am so sorry,” Franke tearfully stated.
Hildebrandt also offered a statement, expressing her desire for the children to heal both physically and emotionally. She opted not to go to trial to spare them from reliving the traumatic experiences. The arrests occurred on August 31 after Franke’s son escaped from Hildebrandt’s residence and sought help from a neighbor. He was found malnourished with duct tape on his wounds, while Franke’s 10-year-old daughter was discovered in a similar condition inside the house. Franke’s YouTube channel, “8 Passengers,” boasted an audience of over two million subscribers, where she shared parenting advice and insights into her family life with her six children. In 2022, Franke announced plans to launch a new YouTube page, “ConneXions,” in collaboration with Jodi Hildebrandt, who operated a life coaching service.
However, allegations emerged that Hildebrandt’s coaching methods were harmful, with accusations of separating spouses and promoting discriminatory views on their joint channel. Franke had previously faced criticism for the content of her videos, including concerns raised about her son sleeping on a beanbag chair for an extended period. Despite calls for investigation by the Division of Child and Family Services in 2020, the claims were deemed unsupported, and the investigation was closed.