Ruby Franke, a 42-year-old parenting influencer who gained fame for her controversial YouTube channel 8 Passengers, has been sentenced to at least four years in prison for child abuse. She appeared in court alongside her former business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, 54, who received the same sentence. Each woman was jailed for four terms of one to 15 years, to run concurrently.
The case came to light in late August when Franke's 12-year-old son escaped from a neighbour's home, covered in open wounds and with duct tape still on his ankles. He was found malnourished and with deep lacerations from being tied up with rope, according to police. Four children were taken into care, and Franke was arrested. She pleaded guilty to starving and abusing her children.
Franke's YouTube channel, launched in 2015, amassed two million subscribers by documenting her strict parenting style. Critics had long raised concerns about her methods, including withholding meals as punishment. In a 2020 video, her teenage son revealed he had been sleeping on a beanbag for seven months after his bedroom was removed for playing pranks. The incident sparked a petition and an investigation by child protective services.
Experts suggest Franke's popularity reflects a modern anxiety among parents seeking radical solutions. Parenting psychologist Dr Maryhan Baker told the BBC that extreme techniques become appealing to desperate parents. Child development specialist Dr Siggie Cohen added that parents scared of making mistakes often look for someone fully in charge.
In court, Franke tearfully apologised, saying, 'I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong.' Her husband Kevin Franke, now estranged, previously defended their approach as teaching children to 'live responsibly'. The case has drawn widespread attention to the dangers of family vlogging and extreme parenting.
