Ruby Franke, a 41-year-old mother of six known for her popular YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” was arrested last Wednesday on suspicion of child abuse after a distress call from a youth prompted a police response. The child was discovered malnourished and emaciated with open wounds and duct tape around their extremities. Another child in the same condition was found in the home and both were taken to a local hospital.
Before her arrest, concerned social media influencers and vigilant internet users had been expressing alarm about Franke’s alleged abusive behavior towards her children. YouTuber “Swoop” published a video in March, scrutinizing Franke’s videos and raising questions about her actions. In one video clip, Franke could be heard threatening her child with scissors, stating, “If you cut one more thing in my house, I’m going to take the scissors with me and I’m going to cut its head off.”
Swoop also questioned Franke’s decision to document her children’s personal moments on the internet, even when they showed discomfort or explicitly asked her to stop filming. Franke’s channel had amassed 2.5 million subscribers since its launch in 2015, and she later transitioned to a different channel called “ConneXions.”
The allegations against Franke extended beyond her online presence. She charged parents substantial fees, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, as a mental health counselor and “mental fitness trainer.” TikTok also played a role in exposing Franke, with numerous videos accusing her of withholding food from her children, exploiting them, and even accusing one daughter of faking an eating disorder.
Neighbors living near Franke’s residence had long expressed concerns about her treatment of her children. One neighbor, speaking anonymously, recalled a sense of relief in the community upon hearing of her arrest, saying, “Everyone is just breathing a collective sigh of relief because we thought they were going to come out of that house with body bags.”
Franke’s family members, including her sister Bonnie Hoellein, also voiced relief after her arrest. Hoellein mentioned in a since-deleted YouTube video that it felt out of place for her to continue posting regular content, now that her nieces and nephews were safe.
The arrests of Ruby Franke and her ConneXions partner, Jodi Hildebrand, have drawn widespread attention and concern. As of now, it remains uncertain when they will make a court appearance to address the charges against them.
