Ruby Frank, a former family vlogger who admitted to abusing her children four times, was given four sentences on Tuesday, which ranged in length from one to fifteen years. Jodi Hildebrandt, Frank’s former business partner, was given the same sentence on Tuesday in the 5th District Court of Washington County.
Frank and Hildebrandt were charged with six counts of child abuse in September involving Frank’s two children. Four of the charges were acknowledged by both. The amount of time they spend behind bars will be decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
Shari and Chad, Frank’s two elder children, attended the sentencing hearing with their father. Frank pleaded with his kids for forgiveness, saying, “I will always be sorry for hurting your fragile spirits. I apologize; you are very important to me.”
Hildebrandt expressed her sincere wish for the impacted children’s physical and mental healing in her heartfelt statement. She made it clear that her main goal was to protect them from experiencing the same kind of mental anguish they had. Hildebrandt’s statements emphasized the significance of the children’s recovery and emotional stability going forward by expressing a profound feeling of worry and dedication to their well-being.
Frank and Hildebrandt were arrested on August 31 when Frank’s son escaped from Hildebrandt’s house, seeking help from a neighbor. He was found with open wounds and malnourished. Later, authorities found Frank’s 10-year-old daughter at home, also a victim of malnutrition, according to reports from ABC News.
With more than 200,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, “8 Travelers,” Frank was a well-known vlogger. He co-parented with his ex-husband Kyo for six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Hawa. He gave parenting tips and talked about the upbringing of his kids on the channel.
Frank and Hildebrandt announced the launch of the ConneXions YouTube page in 2022. Hildebrandt has been providing life coaching through ConneXions since 2007, and her past clients have commended her for having a beneficial influence. Both frequently posted their life views on their YouTube page. Authorities reportedly discovered Frank’s 10-year-old daughter, who was equally malnourished, at home later.
Ruby Frank first encountered criticism for the material in some of her movies, especially after her son Chad disclosed in a video that he had been sleeping on a bean bag for a protracted period of seven months. Critics and spectators alike were alarmed by this discovery, which raised questions about the Frank family’s living circumstances. Advocates demanded that Child and Family Services look into the general well-being of the Frank family in response to criticism. Public outcry for the children’s well-being was evident in the response, which also sparked conversations on appropriate parenting techniques. This episode also made clear the consequences and obligations of disclosing private family information on open forums.
On their YouTube channel, Frank and Hildebrandt frequently discussed contentious issues like racism, LGBTQ+ inclusion, disability inclusivity, and remarks that were derogatory to transgender people. According to Insider, they have a privilege points system set up on their channel.
Ruby Frank faced harsh criticism, mostly because of what was on some of her videos. Her son Chad revealed that he had been sleeping on a bean bag for an astounding seven months in a video that Insider featured. Viewers were alarmed by this discovery, so Chad urged them to support the Child and Family Services Division’s 2020 inquiry into the welfare of the Frank family.A public outrage and calls for an investigation into the living conditions of the Frank children were sparked by the film. The circumstance sparked concerns about the family’s general well-being and added to the ongoing investigation of Ruby Frank’s lifestyle choices. Discussions concerning responsible parenting and the possible effects of internet platforms on families’ privacy and well-being were further sparked by the public’s response.
