Ruby Franke, a Utah mother, a former popular family YouTube vlogger, and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, now face the harsh reality of their actions against aggravated child abuse. She has been sentenced to at least four years in prison for child abuse. The courtroom was tense as she tearfully apologized, having previously pleaded guilty to starving and abusing her own children.
But Ruby wasn’t alone in this ordeal. Her former business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, also received an identical sentence.
The judge ruled that they would serve four terms, each ranging from one to 15 years, consecutively.
these sentences are the maximum or harshest penalties that Utah law permits. The actual time they’ll spend behind bars will be determined by the state’s parole board.
Ruby Franke now has 30 days to appeal the court’s decision.
What Utah prosecutor described in trial about Ruby Franke ?
Utah prosecutor Eric Clarke described a very troubling situation during the trial.
He revealed that two of Franke’s children, aged nine and 11 at the time, endured a life akin to a “concentration camp.”
They were denied basic necessities: food, water, proper beds, and any form of entertainment. Clarke explained that Ruby Franke’s action is not acceptable for the community.
In her emotional statement, Franke expressed her disorientation:
“I believed dark was light and right was wrong.
I would do anything in this world for you. I took from you all that was soft, and safe, and good.”
The shocking incident came to light in August 2023 when Franke’s malnourished 12-year-old son escaped through a window at Hildebrandt’s house in Ivins, Utah. The child urgently turned to a neighbor, desperate in need of water and food, His body bore lacerations from being tied up with rope, as documented by the police.
Ruby Franke’s YouTube career, which began in 2015 with her channel 8 Passengers, now faces a grim finale.
Even though she has a large number of subscriber, more than 2 million, her actions have had a deepest impact. It reminds that popularity always carry responsibilities.