Ruby Franke, the mother of six behind the family YouTube channel “8 Passengers,” has been charged with six counts of felony child abuse by the Washington County Attorney in Utah, a spokesperson for the attorney’s office confirmed to NBC News on Tuesday.

Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were arrested last week after law enforcement found Franke’s 12-year-old son emaciated and with open wounds and duct tape on his wrists and ankles. The boy had climbed out of a window of Hildebrandt’s home and ran to a neighbor house for help, according to a probable cause affidavit acquired by NBC News.

Franke’s 10-year-old daughter was found at Hildebrandt’s home in a similar malnourished condition, according to the affidavit. Officials said the condition of the children was so severe that they were transported to a local area hospital. Franke’s other four children were taken into the care of Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services.

Hildebrandt was also charged with six counts of felony child abuse. Each count carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000, the county attorney told NBC News in an emailed statement.

  • marron12@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    64
    ·
    1 year ago

    She threw their homework and other things in the trash. Said they had until the end of the day to pay cash or do chores to get it back so they could learn the real value of their things.

    She took her son’s bed away for seven months, apparently because he played a prank on his brother.

    Oh, and the kids had to make their own school lunch in the morning. The school calls one day because her 6 year old daughter didn’t have any food. She let the girl go hungry. Quote:

    My hope is that she’ll be hungry and come home and go, ‘oh man, that was really painful, being hungry all day. I will make sure to always have lunch with me.

    • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      36
      ·
      1 year ago

      Having grown up poor, nothing pains me more than the idea of a kid, especially my kid being hungry or cold. This woman is a monster.

    • pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      She sounds like she has “I don’t really gie a fuck about my kids and don’t actually want them” disease.

      The only cure for which is an ass whipping. Well, she’s getting jail time where that sort of thing is par for the course, so there’s that.