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The Chilling Truth Behind 'Devil In The Family': 7 Shocking Revelations From The Ruby Franke Case

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The Hulu docuseries *Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke* has ripped the facade off the seemingly perfect world of family vlogging, exposing a true-crime story of shocking proportions that continues to generate headlines in late 2024 and early 2025. The three-part documentary details the terrifying transition of Ruby Franke, a once-beloved "momfluencer" who ran the massive "8 Passengers" YouTube channel, from a strict but popular parenting guru to a convicted felon serving a lengthy prison sentence for aggravated child abuse. This in-depth look explores the complete timeline of the case, the full biography of the key figures, and the chilling revelations that shocked the world. The true story is a dark descent into manipulation, extreme isolation, and physical abuse, primarily orchestrated with her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt. The case, which culminated in their sentencing to up to 30 years in prison in December 2023, has become a pivotal moment in the discussion surrounding the ethics and safety of children featured on social media platforms. The docuseries offers exclusive access and unseen footage, providing a definitive account of how a digital darling became the "devil in the family."

The Complete Profile: Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt

The story of *Devil in the Family* is centrally focused on the two women who orchestrated the abuse, both of whom had built public platforms around the idea of "healthy" living and parenting.

Ruby Franke (Former "8 Passengers" Vlogger)

  • Full Name: Ruby Franke (née Griffiths)
  • Born: January 18, 1982 (Age 42 as of late 2024)
  • Spouse: Kevin Franke (estranged)
  • Children: Six (Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, Eve)
  • Career: Former popular family vlogger on the "8 Passengers" YouTube channel, which amassed over 2.5 million subscribers.
  • The Fall: Arrested on August 30, 2023, and later pleaded guilty to four counts of felony aggravated child abuse in Washington County, Utah.
  • Sentence: Sentenced in December 2023 to four terms of 1 to 15 years, to be served consecutively, meaning a potential maximum of 60 years, though Utah state law caps the total sentence at 30 years.

Jodi Hildebrandt (ConneXions Founder)

  • Full Name: Jodi Nan Hildebrandt
  • Born: 1969 (Age 55 as of late 2024)
  • Career: Former licensed counselor, founder of the "ConneXions Classroom" life coaching and mental health service.
  • Association with Franke: Became Franke's business partner, mentor, and co-host for the ConneXions YouTube channel, promoting controversial and extreme parenting advice.
  • The Fall: Arrested alongside Ruby Franke and pleaded guilty to four counts of felony aggravated child abuse.
  • Sentence: Also sentenced to four consecutive terms of 1 to 15 years, capped at 30 years in a Utah state prison.

The Rise and Shocking Fall of the '8 Passengers' Empire

The true-crime narrative documented in *Devil in the Family* is so compelling because of the extreme contrast between the public image and the private reality.

The '8 Passengers' Phenomenon (2015-2022)

Ruby Franke launched the "8 Passengers" channel in 2015, quickly becoming one of the most successful "momfluencers" on the platform. The channel, which documented the daily life of her husband, Kevin Franke, and their six children, was a massive success, built on a foundation of strict, often controversial, parenting. Franke's videos frequently featured highly restrictive rules and punishments that drew criticism long before her arrest. She was often accused of public shaming and emotionally neglecting her children for content. As early as 2020, viewers expressed serious concerns after Franke’s eldest son, Chad, mentioned sleeping on a beanbag for seven months as a punishment. Another video showed Franke refusing to send her young daughter, Eve, lunch to school because the child forgot to pack it herself.

The Introduction of ConneXions and Extreme Ideology

The pivotal turning point in Franke's life, and the focus of the docuseries, was her professional and personal entanglement with Jodi Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt's ConneXions program promoted an extremist, often cult-like, ideology focused on "shunning distortion" and "living in truth." Franke began to heavily incorporate this rhetoric into her vlogs, leading to a noticeable shift in her content and her eventual estrangement from her family, including her husband Kevin and her eldest daughter, Shari Franke, who publicly distanced herself.

7 Shocking Revelations That Led to the Arrest

The Hulu docuseries uses exclusive interviews and evidence to paint a horrifying picture of the abuse that occurred inside Hildebrandt's Ivins, Utah, home. The details of the aggravated child abuse case are what truly define the "devil in the family" moniker.

1. The Escape That Saved a Life

The entire case broke open on August 30, 2023, when Ruby Franke's 12-year-old son, Russell, escaped from Hildebrandt's home. The child, emaciated and covered in open wounds from being tied up with rope, ran to a neighbor's house and begged for food and water. The neighbor, recognizing the severity of the situation, immediately called the police.

2. Severe Malnutrition and Physical Torture

Upon arrival, police found the 12-year-old boy suffering from severe malnutrition. He was so thin that he was described as looking "skeletal." The subsequent search of the home uncovered Franke’s 10-year-old daughter, Eve, also severely malnourished. The children were subjected to horrific physical and emotional torture.

3. The Use of Ropes and Restraints

During the investigation, authorities confirmed that the children were regularly tied up with ropes, causing deep lacerations and wounds that were left untreated. The children were isolated from the outside world and other family members.

4. Denial of Basic Necessities

The abuse involved the systematic denial of basic human needs, including food, water, and medical care, for prolonged periods. The perpetrators believed they were "teaching" the children a lesson, a core tenant of the ConneXions "principles."

5. The Guilty Plea and Lack of Remorse

Both Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. During their sentencing hearing in December 2023, Franke expressed "deep sorrow and regret" for her actions, but the court noted the deliberate and heinous nature of the abuse.

6. The Unseen YouTube Footage

A key component of the *Devil in the Family* docuseries is the use of over a thousand hours of unseen "rushes" from the "8 Passengers" YouTube channel. This footage, never intended for public release, provides a chilling look at the deteriorating mental state of Franke and the escalating extremism of her parenting style.

7. The Family's Public Response

The documentary also features interviews with members of the Franke family, including Ruby's estranged husband, Kevin Franke, and her older children, Chad and Shari Franke. Shari Franke, who was already estranged from her mother, was a vocal advocate for her younger siblings, expressing relief at the arrests and cooperating with authorities, further highlighting the deep family tragedy at the heart of the case. The family's participation in the docuseries provides a critical perspective on the slow, insidious process of radicalization that consumed Ruby Franke.

The Legacy of the Franke Case and Topical Authority

The case of Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, as detailed in *Devil in the Family*, has had a profound impact on the digital landscape. It has sparked intense topical authority discussions about the regulation of family vlogging, the potential for exploitation of minors on platforms like YouTube, and the dangers of cult-like self-help ideologies. The Utah State government has used the details of the Washington County case to re-evaluate child protection laws related to online content creators. The combined entities of "8 Passengers," "ConneXions," "aggravated child abuse," and the Franke family members (Ruby, Kevin, Shari, Chad, Russell, Eve) have become synonymous with the dark side of the "momfluencer" culture, serving as a stark warning to parents and viewers worldwide.
The Chilling Truth Behind 'Devil in the Family': 7 Shocking Revelations from the Ruby Franke Case
devil in the family
devil in the family

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