Recently released footage in a three-part Hulu documentary details how social media fame eventually landed a Mormon mother of six children in prison.
“Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” streamed more than 1,000 hours of video showing Ruby Franke’s children being bullied and forced to appear happy on camera.
“The stuff that my mom did behind the scenes like yelling, ‘get back in place’ or ‘say that again’ or the sternness … that wasn’t just my mom,” he said. “A lot of vloggers and parents who are putting their kids on camera act the same way.”
Ruby Franke, who first created the YouTube channel “8 Passengers” in 2015, earned up to $100,000 a month at one point with a mass following of some 2.5 million viewers.
In the episodes, Franke would display strict parenting methods, such as canceling Christmas for two of her children and threatening to withhold meals.
Afton Turner, who was raised in the Mormon Church in Utah and has a degree from Brigham Young University (BYU) in marriage and family studies, blames society’s obsession with a seemingly perfect family.
The danger in the obsession is how children are impacted.
“When children are constantly filmed and being told how to feel, they may internalize the idea that maintaining a perfect image is more important than their real emotions,” Turner told NTD. “This can make it harder for them to set boundaries, advocate for their needs, and develop a strong, authentic sense of self.”
Eventually, one of the Franke children broke free from the Springville, Utah home, which was located in an enclave called Happy Valley, and appeared on a neighbor’s doorstep with rope around his legs.
Franke pleaded guilty to four felony counts of aggravated child abuse and was sentenced last February to up to 30 years in prison.
“The Ruby Franke case is a tragic example of how parental authority and influence can turn toxic, particularly when mixed with social media fame and extremist ideology,” Jacksonville, Florida attorney Joy Owenby told NTD.
Franke’s accomplice, Jodi Hildebrandt, a fellow Mormon, started as a counselor to Franke and her now estranged husband Kevin Franke but eventually Hildebrandt moved into their home and Franke’s husband moved out. The two women became business partners, according to Franke’s daughter Shari Franke. Hildebrand is a licensed mental health counselor.
Kevin Franke subsequently filed for divorce in 2023 while Hildebrandt, like Ruby Franke, is serving up to 30 years in prison for her part in the abuse of children.
Ruby Franke and Hildebrandt currently reside in a Utah State correctional facility.