Who Is Ruby Franke and What Did She Do?
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Ron Chaffin
Who is Ruby Franke, the woman at the center of Hulu's new docuseries, Devil In the Family?
Before you hit play, here's what you need to know about the Franke family's story—from their YouTube channel 8Passengers to all that came after it. Here are the basics of the story you should know. Trigger warning: child abuse.
Franke, a Mormon mother of six, launched a YouTube channel called 8 Passengers in 2015, documenting life in a family of eight along with her husband, Kevin. As the channel grew past two million subscribers, the parents came under more scrutiny for sharing intimate details about their children's lives and their strict, some would say severe, punishments for misbehavior. In 2021, Utah Child Protective Services visited the family home after receiving a complaint of neglect, but didn't file any charges, per Forbes.
At some point, the Frankes enlisted the help of Mormon therapist Jodi Hildebrandt for an issue with their son Chad, but the relationship soon became very intense, with Hildebrandt moving into the family home in 2021, counseling all of the children, and pushing Kevin out of the house. Hildebrandt ran a counseling business called ConneXions, and Ruby Franke began training in the program.
Early examples of the ConneXions style of 'parenting,' which were documented online, included withholding meals and making a child sleep on a bean bag chair instead of a bed for months. However, what wasn't filmed was much more horrific. By the time of the rescue, the oldest Franke children had already left the house, but the four remaining kids were all found malnourished and reported brutal conditions meant to 'exorcise' them of demons. Per Time, one child recalled being forced to stand in the hot sun, tied to weights, forced to jump on a trampoline, and forced to run through the desert. Their resulting injuries were treated with ineffective at-home remedies.
In August 2023, the Frankes' twelve-year-old son escaped from a window in Hildebrandt's house and ran to a neighbor for help. The neighbor, noticing that the boy was malnourished and injured, called the authorities. The boy went to the hospital while the police searched the house, per E!
Franke and Hildebrandt were both arrested, and both have since pleaded guilty to child abuse.
The four younger children are in the custody of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services. Kevin is seeking custody, per People, and is working on repairing the family's relationships. Chad Franke is a realtor and Shari published a memoir about her experiences. Here's more about where the Franke kids are now.
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by Glamour editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.
News
Where Are the Franke Kids Now? The Oldest Speak Out in Hulu's New Docuseries, *Devil in the Family*
Ruby Franke was arrested in 2023 on charges of child abuse.
All three episodes of Devil in the Family are now streaming on Hulu.
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