Before Ruby Franke, the infamous YouTube mom behind the "8Passengers" channel, pleaded guilty to child abuse charges, authorities uncovered something chilling—a handwritten journal detailing the suffering she inflicted on her own children. In it, she described acts of cruelty with a detachment that made even seasoned investigators pause.

As revealed in Hulu’s new docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, a police investigator reads from the journal, bringing Franke’s own words into the open. One entry is particularly disturbing: "Sleep outside, shaved her head, doused her with water, over his nose and mouth, head in the toilet, needs to be painful. Blood on his face, scream and scream."

Another entry is no less horrifying: "I told the boy, he emulates a snake. If he wants to emulate the Savior, he needs to be a hundred percent obedient with exactness. The body must engage in good work and the good works need to be painful. I have the power of God and he must obey."

The extent of the abuse detailed in these pages is staggering. In one passage, Franke wrote about forcing her son into the sun, then returning with a "cactus poker" to prod him. She recorded her own twisted logic: "When I poke his back to get in the sun, he doesn’t even flinch. I told him, give your demon friend a message for me. I will not rest. I will not stop. I will not leave. I will fight him until the day you die."

These weren’t the ramblings of someone suffering a temporary lapse in judgment. They were calculated. Premeditated. Written down as if she was keeping a ledger of pain.

In August 2023, it all came to an end when Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped from the home she shared with her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt. Starving, injured, and desperate, he ran to a neighbor and pleaded for help. The neighbor, moved to tears by the boy’s skeletal appearance, called 911. Soon after, authorities discovered his 9-year-old sister inside Hildebrandt’s home in an equally horrific condition.

Franke and her husband, Kevin, had gained a massive following through "8Passengers," where their brand of strict, authoritarian parenting was often defended as tough love. Their content, which amassed over 2 million subscribers, frequently walked the fine line between discipline and outright cruelty. YouTube ultimately shut down the channel after Franke’s arrest. Kevin Franke was not charged in connection with the abuse.

Jodi Hildebrandt, Franke’s business partner and a former therapist, only made things worse. The founder of the so-called "ConneXions" program, a religious-based self-help movement, Hildebrandt reportedly encouraged extreme parenting methods, preying on vulnerabilities within the Mormon community. According to a therapist featured in the docuseries, Hildebrandt "was excellent at exploiting Mormon anxiety." Her influence, combined with Franke’s already dangerous beliefs, created a toxic and violent environment for the children trapped in their care.

Both Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. Their sentences—ranging from four to 30 years—will be decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. At her sentencing, Franke broke down in tears, addressing her children directly. "I will never stop crying for hurting your tender souls," she said. But the damage was already done.

Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is now streaming on Hulu.

#TrueCrime #RubyFranke #8Passengers #ChildAbuse

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