How did it remain under the radar for so long? This is the burning question that Tony Brueski and Jennifer Coffindaffer grapple with in a recent episode of "Hidden Killers". Ruby Franke's case has baffled many, especially when neighbors insist they weren't looking the other way but instead were actively trying to help. The actual barrier? The Free Range Parenting Law of Utah.

 

 "Several of us tried to help. One neighbor commented saying, I know people left food on doorsteps knowing the kids might not be eating," recounts Brueski. Neighbors knew something was amiss and many reportedly made calls to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and the police. Yet, the children's lack of visible injuries meant that the hands of the law were tied. According to Brueski, the Free Range Parenting Law in Utah allows parents to leave their children alone if deemed of a responsible age, unless there are injuries.

 

 Coffindaffer, a former FBI Special Agent, interjects with a nuanced perspective, acknowledging the legitimacy of a child's right to independence at a certain age but highlighting its boundaries. "That at a certain age, a child could be left alone. But again, there's usually time limits on that... for being able to be on your own and it not being dangerous to the child in many states. It's about 12 years old that age is but there's a time limit and it's not weeks and it's not days," she stated emphatically.

 

 The law's application in the Franke case, however, has raised eyebrows. "That law that they have in Utah is in many states, but it's completely absurd to stretch that law to cover what was going on in this situation," Coffindaffer argues. She points out that neglect through starvation is separate and should not be hidden behind the Free Range Parenting Law. "Child welfare services in Utah has a lot explaining to do because there's no way you can hide behind the law they're talking about and explain starvation and neglect," she emphasized.

 

 Brueski dives deeper into the peculiarities of Utah's legal system, suggesting that Utah's approach to these laws might have nuances that are different from other states. "Every time we talk about Utah, things are always just a little bit odd or different or don't quite make sense in so many of the legal ramifications in cases," he observes, questioning how much "gray area" Utah's legal framework allows.

 

 Coffindaffer concurs with Brueski's sentiment, pointing out that Utah has what may be described as a "liberal application" when it comes to parenting decisions. "Out of all the states there are, you know, Utah is where you're going to see the most liberal application in terms of these sort of parenting, you know, free range decisions," she stated.

 

 The revelations in the "Hidden Killers" podcast spotlight the potential dangers of laws that may be well-intentioned but can inadvertently create loopholes that endanger the welfare of children. The ongoing discussions surrounding Ruby Franke's case serve as a cautionary tale, prompting a re-evaluation of laws and their applications.

 

 However, as the discourse around Ruby Franke's case and the Free Range Parenting Law continues, the question that still lingers is: Are there more cases of neglect concealed behind the veil of laws that were meant to protect?

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