Ruby Franke's Son Marks One Year Since Her Arrest for Child Abuse: 'Happy Prisonversary'

Chad Franke recalls the anniversary of the day his “emaciated” brother escaped and ran to neighbors for help, leading to the arrests and eventual child abuse sentences for his mother Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, her parenting podcast partner.

Friday marked the one-year anniversary that healing could begin for the Franke family as it was the day that Ruby Franke was arrested after her “emaciated” 12-year-old son Russell escaped the home they were living at, running to a neighbor for help.

“If you could take me to the nearest police station,” Russell said on Ring camera footage. There were visible marks from tape around his wrists and ankles.

That brave moment triggered a police reaction that ultimately resulted in the rescue of Franke’s children and her arrest alongside her podcast partner Jodi Hildebrandt, whose house she was living in.

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Russell’s older brother Chad, 19, whose family had featured on the popular 8Passengers YouTube channel, marked the anniversary on Snapchat Friday with a series of posts captured by People, including one of his mother that he simply labeled, “Happy Prisonversary.”

The other is a shot of himself looking reflective, captioned, “A year ago today, I had just gotten off a phone call with Jodi and was going to work a Lifeguard shift.”

When police arrived at Hildebrandt’s house later that day, they found 9-year-old sister Eve in what was described as a “similar physical condition of malnourishment.” An extremely strict and restrictive parenting regimen was espoused by both Franke and Hildebrandt in their social media, though most didn’t know the extent of alleged abuse in the home.

In December, she pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse, one for each of the children who lived with her. She and Hildebrandt were sentenced to four to 60 years in prison. Chad had already moved out of the home before the arrests and there was no evidence of him having been abused.

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Chad’s older sister Shari, 21, who also did not live at the home where the arrests were made, spoke out upon the arrests a year ago on her own social media. “Today has been a big day,” she wrote. “Me and my family are so glad justice is being served. We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up.”

According to Ruby’s estranged husband Kevin, his wife got involved with a group called ConneXion Classrooms through Hildebrandt. Her relationship with the Frankes started as Ruby’s “therapist,” before evolving to being their children’s mental health counselor.

It was through this connection that Kevin says Ruby slowly became more deeply involved with ConneXions, a group NBC News reported Jodi started as a life coaching service in 2007.

The organization also had religious associations, with former clients telling NBC News that it was largely based on the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Frankes and Jodi are all three members of the church.

At the time of her arrest in August 2023, the couple had been living separated for a year, with Kevin revealing he’d not seen his children for longer than that. Describing Jodi as a “cult leader,” Kevin told authorities, “I was completely cut off,” per Salt Lake City’s KTVX.

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He told authorities that while he wasn’t able to see his children, he spent that year trying to win that right back by seeking Jodi’s approval with continued ConneXion Classrooms work under her.

What has since come out is a long-standing pattern of systematic abuse by both women on Franke’s children, with prosecutors saying in their case summary that the women “appeared to fully believe that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined ‘sins’ and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies.”

Ruby’s diary entries were also released, in which she said one of her children was “in and out of possession” and “needs God,” and wrote about how she punished them by making them stand in the sun and by shaving off their hair.

Over time, though, Franke changed her tone. According to her plea agreement, Franke has “actively engaged in an introspection that has allowed her to reset her moral compass and understand the full weight of her actions.” Further, she “is committed to taking responsibility for the part she played in the events leading up to her incarceration.”

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During her sentencing hearing, Ruby expressed remorse and regret, apologizing to her husband and children. “For the past four years, I’ve chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion,” she said.

“My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me.” She apologized to her children for taking from them “all that was soft and safe, and good,” and said she as “humbled and willing to serve a prison sentence for as long as I need.”

“I am committed to unlearning my toxic behavior,” Franke continued, emphasizing her regret for “twisting God’s words and distorting His doctrine.” Franke and Hildebrandt both received the maximum sentence under Utah state guidelines.

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If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse or violence, get help. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in need.