When parenting vlogger Ruby Franke was arrested back in 2023, it sent shockwaves through the online community.
For nearly five years, Franke had shared parenting advice on her popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, chronicling the seemingly idyllic life of her family of eight and amassing thousands of followers.
But behind the scenes, the YouTuber was hiding something much more sinister.
Franke’s crimes have been the subject of Hulu’s docuseries, Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, which explores the true story of how Franke came to be convicted of child abuse. And tonight (23 July), it will be aired on BBC Two at 9pm.
The docuseries marks the first time Franke’s husband, Kevin, and their two eldest children, Shari and Chad Franke, are sharing what happened, “cutting through the social media reaction to explore the untold story behind the Ruby Franke case,” as per the official synopsis.
Wondering what happened to Ruby Franke, 8 Passengers and what she was sentenced to? Read on for everything you need to know.
Who is Ruby Franke and how did 8 Passengers begin?
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Ruby Franke is a 44-year-old former family vlogger who ran the now deleted 8 Passengers YouTube channel.
Franke created the channel in 2015, where she documented her family life with her husband, Kevin, and their children: daughters Shari, Abby, Julie and Eve, as well as sons Chad and Russell.
Their youngest child, Eve, was 1 years old when the channel began, while their oldest, Shari, was 11 years old.
The family, who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, documented many aspects of their lives on the channel.
Five years on from the channel’s creation, it had amassed 2.3 million subscribers and 1 billion views.
What did Ruby Franke do?
While some of her videos portrayed a normal family life, some moments aroused suspicion from viewers.
In one video, Franke told the camera that her daughter “needed” to go hungry after she forgot to take her lunch to school that day.
“Hopefully nobody gives her food and nobody steps in and gives her a lunch, because then she’s not going to learn,” she said in the video (via BBC News).
In 2020, one of Franke’s children said he had been made to sleep on a bean bag for seven months for pranking his younger brother.
In other videos, Franke had threatened to destroy a stuffed toy belonging to one of her children as well as telling two of them that Santa wouldn’t bring the anything for Christmas that year as they were too “numb”.
“It’s because they’re so numb, and the more numb your child is the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up,” Franke said in a video (via AP News).
When did Ruby Franke get arrested?
Franke was arrested in 2023 after her 12-year-old son had climbed out of a window and ran to a neighbour’s home, asking for food and water. The boy appeared emaciated and had duct tape on his ankles and wrists. The neighbour went on to call the police.
“The calling party [the neighbour] stated the juvenile appeared to be emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds and duct tape around the extremities,” the Santa-Clara Ivins Public Safety Department said in a statement.
“Upon arrival, law enforcement observed the wounds and the malnourishment of [the boy] to be severe,” it continued.
Franke’s daughter was later found malnourished at her business partner’s home and was taken to hospital.
Franke’s other two children were placed in the care of child protection services.
What was Ruby Franke charged with?
In December 2023, she pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
She later pleaded not guilty to two other counts.
What was Ruby Franke sentenced to?
In February 2024, Ruby Franke was sentenced to serve four consecutive terms of between one and 15 years imprisonment, meaning she must serve a minimum of four years.
In court after receiving her sentence, Franke said (via BBC News): “I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong.
“I was led to believe that this world was an evil place, filled with cops who control, hospitals that injure, government agencies that brainwash, church leaders who lie and lust, husbands who refuse to protect and children who need abuse.”
Where is Ruby Franke now?
Franke is currently imprisoned at Utah State Correctional Facility.
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Frank airs on Thursday 23 July at 9pm on BBC Two. It is also available to watch on Disney Plus now.
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