The rise and fall of Ruby Franke, once celebrated as the quintessential family vlogger, has become the stuff of cautionary tales. The turbulent story takes center stage in the new docuseries, Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, which explores the grim realities behind the popular YouTube channel, 8 Passengers, and the shocking details surrounding the arrest of Ruby and her therapist Jodi Hildebrandt for child abuse.
On the surface, Ruby Franke seemed to embody the idealized version of motherhood. With nearly 2.5 million subscribers on her YouTube channel 8 Passengers, she documented her life as a devout Mormon mother of six, sharing what appeared to be heartwarming family moments. But behind the camera, Ruby's parenting methods were far from wholesome. The situation escalated dramatically when one of her children, aged just 12, escaped the confines of Hildebrandt's home, where he and his younger sister had allegedly been held captive. The boy found solace at a neighbor's house, reportedly emaciated and physically abused.
The alarming incident occurred in August 2023 and set off a chain of events leading to the arrest of Ruby and Hildebrandt. Their charges included the severe maltreatment of Ruby's youngest children, reflecting practices rooted not just in heavy-handed discipline, but also grounded in misguided beliefs. Ruby and Jodi convinced themselves and the children they were possessed by evil spirits and treated them accordingly. This alleged abuse involved manual labor under the scorching sun, restrictive diets, and blatant emotional manipulation.
"What Ruby has done... It just crossed a line of abusive to just... psychotic and downright evil," stated Ruby's eldest daughter, Shari Franke, during the docuseries. Her testimony, along with her brother Chad’s, sheds light on the torment they endured behind the camera.
Chad reflected on the brutal realities, saying, "She would spank, whip, take the belt out and whip my butt. Pull down my pants, whip me." His accounts of long hours spent performing grueling physical tasks without adequate nutrition paint a picture of desperation and despair.
The abuse continued unchallenged until the brave actions of the 12-year-old boy catalyzed the long-awaited intervention. Upon arrival, police found more than just signs of physical abuse; the children had been groomed to believe they were secretive and malicious. Ruby’s son was found with tape around his legs, hungry and pleading for help.
Even prior to their arrest, concerns about the Franke family had been mounting. Neighbors reported noticing strange behaviors and expressed concern about the children's well-being. Shari even reached out to local authorities for wellness checks, but without tangible evidence of abuse displaying themselves to law enforcement, their calls fell on deaf ears.
Following the tragic events, both Ruby and Jodi pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and received sentences ranging from four to thirty years. At sentencing, Ruby attempted to portray her actions as misguided acts of love, stating, "Vlogging my family, putting my children public on social media was wrong, and I regret it every day," sharing her remorse with the world.
Despite being at the center of the social media spotlight at one point, the Franke family is hardly enjoying the privileges it once boasted. Kevin Franke, Ruby's estranged husband, now reveals the emotional weight he bore due to their family fame. After filing for divorce, he expressed feelings of powerlessness during the abusive years and voiced his deep regret for exposing their children to the public eye.
Chad and Shari have now transitioned to advocacy, with Shari publishing her memoir, The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom, where she discusses her harrowing experiences and sheds light on the dangers of parent-influencer culture. She vowed never to speak to her mother again, focusing her energy instead on empowering other victims.
To many, Ruby Franke’s story serves as more than just another true crime saga. It exposes the need for awareness surrounding family vloggers’ unchecked power to exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain, all under the guise of wholesome family entertainment. The docuseries paints hard truths about the masks people wear online and urges society to reconsider the boundaries of discipline versus cruelty.
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke invites viewers to witness the reality behind the facade—the bitterness of betrayal, the pain of abuse, and the resilience of those who walk away to tell the stories. Hidden within the glitz of social media stardom lies the cold, hard truth of the lives it can devastate. This harrowing tale serves as both cautionary and compelling, and it opens up necessary dialogues about child protection and the moral responsibilities of influencers.