A new Netflix documentary, Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, has shed light on the disturbing case of Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt and parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke, both sentenced to up to 60 years in prison for child abuse. The film, released on December 30, details how the two women met through their local church community and later formed a business partnership.
Franke, who ran the popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, amassed around 2.5 million subscribers by documenting her strict parenting methods. Concerns were raised after she reportedly barred one son from his bedroom for months and threatened to destroy her children's toys. Her channel was suspended in 2022, after which she began working as a mental health coach at Hildebrandt's life-coaching company, ConneXions.
The abuse came to light when a malnourished boy with rope burns approached a neighbour's house asking for food and water, and to be taken to the police. He had escaped from Hildebrandt's home, where his sister was also held captive. Police found rope, handcuffs, and a bowl of cayenne pepper paste believed to have been used to 'treat' the boy's wounds. Franke's diaries revealed she believed her children were 'possessed' by the devil.
Both women pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and received identical sentences of four consecutive terms of one to 15 years, totalling up to 60 years. They are incarcerated at Utah State Correctional Facility. Franke's first parole hearing is scheduled for December 2026. The documentary's director, Skye Borgman, noted that Franke has begun to distance herself from Hildebrandt, possibly as a form of self-preservation.
