At her sentencing hearing, the mom influencer apologized to her children, adding, “I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong.”

Ruby Franke, a once-popular online mom influencer with millions of followers, has been sentenced to four one- to 15-year terms in prison for child abuse.

Franke pleaded guilty in December to four counts of aggravated abuse against her children. She and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, had each been charged with six counts of felony child abuse in September.

Utah Judge John J. Walton sentenced both to four one- to 15-year terms on Tuesday, but state law limits the maximum aggregate sentence for consecutive terms to 30 years. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine the length of time they will spend behind bars, NBC News reported.

For years, the 42-year-old mother documented her strict parenting style with her husband Kevin Franke and her six children on her YouTube channel, “8 Passengers.” She and Hildebrandt also doled out parenting advice in videos.

      • SoleInvictus@lemmy.world
        7·
        9 months ago

        I had the same thought. I know people with complex PTSD from mild but persistent childhood abuse and it has made life hell for some of them. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for these children.