On August 30, 2023, a 911 phone call was made by the neighbor of Jodi Hildebrandt about a twelve-year-old boy who escaped from Hildebrandt’s home. The neighbor stated that the boy was asking for food and water. The child, Ruby Frankies’ son (Russell Franke), had multiple injuries, including open wounds and bruises all over his arms and legs, with duct tape wrapped around his wrists and ankles. He also showed signs of malnourishment, and it was obvious that he was not being properly fed. Russell also told the neighbor that his ten-year-old sister (Eve Franke) also lived in the house and in similar conditions. Ruby Franke was arrested the day of the 911 call, as well as her partner Jodi Hildebrandt, with six counts of child abuse for harming her two younger kids.
Ruby Franke started a YouTube channel called the 8 Passengers in 2015. She would make videos showing her daily life as a mom of six kids. There were signs of abuse in their earlier videos. For example, in a vlog four years before the arrest, she was shown on the phone with her kid’s kindergarten teacher telling Ruby that her six-year-old daughter forgot her lunch that day. Ruby said that her daughter (Eve Frankie) was responsible for packing her lunch, and it was her fault she must stay hungry. In another vlog, Ruby Frankie was shown sending her 14-year-old son, Chad Franke, to a wilderness camp. She sent Chad because he pulled a harmless prank on his brother Russell. When Chad returned, his room was removed, and he slept on a bean bag for four months. Ruby also disapproved of privacy with her kids. She stated that her children have yet to earn privacy, and they will get it when they are eighteen.
In the summer of 2022, Ruby joined ConneXions, a website where adults can get relationship and parenting advice. Jodi Hildebrandt is the owner of ConneXions and was a licensed therapist. Ruby and Jodi became partners and started making videos on parenting advice. It was said that Rudy and her youngest two kids lived in Jodi’s house before the arrest. Since Jodi’s arrest, multiple of her old clients have stated that Jodi makes their relationships and mental health worse. Jodi was said to be helping Ruby with her marriage. Ruby’s husband, Kevin Franke, has said that he never agreed with Jodi’s tactics and did not know anything about child abuse that was happening. Jodi Hildebrandt told Ruby and Kevin Franke that they needed space, so Kevin moved out, and they had zero contact with each other for a few years. Things started to get worse for the kids because it was just under Rudy and Judi’s judgment. When Russell escaped from the basement, Rudy and Judi were said to be upstairs filming a video for ConneXions. Julia Addison (11) said, “Most of their advice had some child abuse behind it. Even just reading the article about the subject and listening to some video clips, I can tell that what they do is not good for the kids.”
Currently, Ruby and Kevin Franke’s four youngest children are in the foster care system, while her oldest two have moved out and are over eighteen. Kevin, Shari (their oldest child), and Chad Franke were all seen together walking to Ruby’s trial. Kevin is trying to get custody of the youngest four with the support of the oldest two. Kevin claims he did not know how his children were treated and just wanted to give his kids a safe home. Lila Fraley (10) said, “I think the dad should get the kids because he didn’t do any of the child abuse.”
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt are both facing six counts of child abuse. Each count is at least fifteen years in prison, at least 90 years for them. Olivia Hathcock (10) said, “She deserves at least ten years for what she did.” Rudy Franke stated that her twelve-year-old son Russell needed to be punished to that extent because he was doing inappropriate things. The court has not marked this as accurate, but Ruby Franke is blaming her twelve-year-old son.
Kassidy Sweeny (10) said, “I watched the Lamont Family on YouTube when I was little. Now, watching it when I’m older, I’ve realized it is creepy, and all the kids are forced.” Family YouTube channels are popular but are very forced and make the children be on camera. Most say that if the 8 passengers were not on YouTube, the abuse would not have been as bad.
