Ruby Franke's daughter breaks silence on horrific child abuse that led to 60-year prison sentence
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
The daughter of former YouTuber and convicted child abuser Ruby Franke has spoken out after her mom was sentenced to four consecutive sentences of up to 15 years in prison.
Shari Franke, the eldest daughter of Franke, has spoken out about her experiences in a new memoir titled The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom.
Who is Ruby Franke?
Franke made a name for herself as a content creator on YouTube as she shared insights into her life in Utah with her six children.
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Launched in 2015, her channel, '8 Passengers', offered parenting advice to viewers and showed how she dealt with home-schooling, cooking, and generally sharing time with her kids.
However, some of her approaches proved controversial to viewers, including one moment in which she told her sons they would 'lose the privilege to eat dinner' if they carried on play-fighting.
What did Ruby Franke do?
In August 2023, Franke was arrested along with her mentor, Jodi Hildebrandt, after her 12-year-old son escaped through the window of Hildebrandt's home and ran to a neighbor's house, begging for food and water with duct tape still on his ankles.
The arrest record found the boy was suffering from malnourishment, as well as 'deep lacerations from being tied up with rope'.
In 2023, both Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse against two of Ruby Franke's children, though that did not include Shari. They both received four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years in prison.
What has Shari Franke said about her mom Ruby?
Shari spoke to Good Morning America host Eva Pilgrim about her experience living with her mom, though she's noted in her book that she was cut off from the family when she left for college.
Shari claimed she was subject to abuse from her mother throughout her childhood, telling Pilgrim: "When I was younger, around, like, five, six, Ruby was really physical. Whether it was like a slap to the lip or - a slap to the cheek…when I would practice the piano, her hand would slam and it was really scary."
In the wake of Franke's guilty plea, Shari expressed belief her mom was 'as sorry as she can be'.
"What she has done is so bad that I don't think her mind allows her to kind of fully comprehend the guilt of all that. And so I think that she probably genuinely believed everything she said. I don't believe it though," she said.
When asked if there was anything she'd want to say to her mom directly, Shari said: "Probably tell her 'I'm happy without you'. I was scared of her for so long, and I am here without her approval, and I am just fine."
What has Shari Franke said about Jodi Hildebrandt?
Shari described Hildebrandt in her book as a Mormon family counselor, and recalled how the nature of the alleged abuse she faced shifted from physical to more psychological after Hildebrandt entered their lives.
According to the daughter, Hildebrandt moved into the Franke home in 2022, and before long, the children's father, Kevin Franke, moved out.
Shari claimed her mom was 'secretive' about the relationship with Hildebrandt, saying: "I certainly got weird vibes from Jodi and Ruby. I don't think it's normal at all that a therapist would move in to your client's home ... I was moving out to college, I hadn't even left the house yet, and she is in my room and in my bed."
When Pilgrim asked if she thought Franke and Hildebrandt were more than friends, Shari said: "I'm not sure."
What have authorities said about the Ruby Franke case?
Shari claimed she reached out for help with the abuse she allegedly received from her mom, but did not receive it.
In a statement to ABC News, the Utah Division of Child and Family Services said: "The Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) works with children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments. DCFS respects that each child and family has a right to privacy and remains firm in our commitment to that privacy for the children and families of Utah.
"DCFS affirms law enforcement reports of our involvement in the Franke case. However, in order to protect the integrity of the necessary working relationships with those we serve, and to respect the privacy of children and families, DCFS will continue its practice and refrain from sharing specific information on a case, past or present. Utah law requires any person with reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or dependency to report it to DCFS or a local law enforcement agency. The 24/7 abuse and neglect hotline is 855-323-3237."
UNILAD has contacted Ruby Franke's lawyers for comment.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Emily Brown