The son of a YouTuber who was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison on child abuse charges has broken his silence.
‘Momfluencer’ Ruby Franke, 42, pleaded guilty to starving and abusing her children in 'a concentration camp-like setting'.
She forced son Russell, then 12, to work outside in scorching heat with no food or water as punishment.
When the emaciated boy escaped, his ankles and wrists were bound in tape. A neighbour who found him told police: “I think he's been detained. He's covered in wounds.”
Franke's 8 Passengers channel - run with ex business partner Jodi Hildebrandt - documented life with husband Kevin and six kids Shari, 20, Chad, 18, Abby, 16, Julie, 14, Russell and Eve in Utah.
Chad has now appeared in a TikTok video in which he dances alongside his girlfriend just days after his mother was jailed.
In the footage, in a caption, she says, ‘You’d love my mom!’ His captioned response is “My mom’s in prison” while he smiles and dances.Franke appeared in a court in Utah on Tuesday alongside Hildebrandt, 54, an ex-mental health counsellor.
@deffnotbellahadid BRO😭😭 #8passengers #utahvloggers #rubyfranke #momsoftruth #mormon #jodihildebrandt #chadfranke #connexions #utah
♬ original sound - user829462
Both women received four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years, although they may serve up to 30 years under state law.
Franke’s channel ran for seven years from 2015. Franke and Hildebrandt - who met the Frankes while giving them marriage counselling - were held after son Russell fled last August.
Franke admitted isolating him, kicking him while wearing boots, holding his head under water and smothering his mouth and nose.
Weeping Franke told Judge John Walton she was sorry for “twisting God's word”.
She said she was “humbled and willing to serve a prison sentence as long as it takes to unravel all this information I believed and bought, swallowed and acted out”.
