Two months after Ruby Franke was sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to four counts of child abuse, her estranged husband, Kevin Franke, has filed a lawsuit against her former business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt.
In February, a Utah district court sentenced the YouTube parenting influencer, known for her “8 Passengers” channel, to four one-15-year terms in prison. Hildebrandt, 54, was also sentenced to four one-to-15-year terms. Both women will serve their sentences consecutively, meaning they could serve from four-60 years total.
Kevin — who officially filed for divorce from Ruby in November 2023 — filed the lawsuit in the Fourth Judicial District Court of Utah on Thursday. The filing, obtained by ET, claims that Ruby, 41, moved her four children with Kevin into Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah, without advising him, and that two of his minor children experienced abuse while living there from May 22 to Aug. 20, 2023.
Citing “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” “negligent infliction of emotional distress” and “negligence,” the filing alleges that two of Kevin’s children — identified as “R.F.,” 11, and “E.F.,” 9 — were confined “to a room” or in the basement of the home and “not allowed to leave” without Ruby or Hildebrandt’s permission under the threat of “further or increased punishment.”
Per the filing, R “attempted to run away,” but had been caught and he was then “regularly bound” and “tied to multiple weights.” The documents say the bindings included handcuffs on his wrists and ankles and his binding led to injuries where the handcuffs “cut through the skin and damaged muscle and tissue.”
Kevin also claims that Hildebrandt tried to “indoctrinate” R by telling him that his “punishments” were needed to “force him to repent” because he was “evil and possessed” and needed to be “obedient” to avoid punishment. The father of four claims that the alleged abuse “caused severe emotional harm” to both R and E.
Kevin is seeking judgment on special damages (past, present and future), pain and suffering, losses and harms, and all other general damages, as well as pre/post-judgment interest, costs and attorney fees.
Ruby and Hildebrandt each pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse in December.
According to the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department, the Aug. 30. 2023 arrests came after the department got a call about a juvenile in need of help. That juvenile turned out to be one of Ruby’s 12-year-old sons, who police say escaped Hildebrandt’s home by climbing out of a window and running to a neighbor’s home for help.
Police say the boy showed up at the neighbor’s home with duct tape around his ankles and wrists and he was also “emaciated and malnourished.” According to multiple reports, the neighbor called 911 and said the boy told him “what’s happened to him is his fault.” While waiting for paramedics and police to arrive, the neighbor gave the juvenile food and water.
The department said its officers eventually were led to Hildebrandt’s home, where another child — a 10-year-old girl — was found in a similar condition. The girl turned out to be Ruby’s child as well. The juvenile boy and 10-year-old girl were then taken to a hospital, while two of Ruby’s other children were taken by the Department of Child and Family Services.
Ruby pleaded guilty after admitting to abusing her children by forcing them to perform hours of physical tasks such as wall sits and carrying boxes full of books up and down the stairs, denying them food or water, and regularly binding their hands. Ruby also admitted to kicking one of her sons while wearing boots and holding his head underwater and smothering his mouth and nose with her hands.
During her sentencing — audio of which was streamed on Utah Court’s website — Ruby got emotional as she apologized to her children.
“I … believed dark was light and right was wrong,” she said. “I would do anything in this world for you. I took from you all that was soft, and safe and good.”
She also addressed Judge John Walton and the court.
“For the past four years, I’ve chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion,” she admitted. “My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
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