The Devil In The Family: From Family Vlogging to Unthinkable Abuse
In August 2023, a harrowing escape exposed the dark reality hidden behind the polished facade of a once-popular family vlogging channel. A 12-year-old boy, desperate and injured, managed to flee from a Utah home belonging to counselor Jodi Hildebrandt. Bloodied and bound with duct tape, he sought help from a neighbor, pleading to be taken to the police so he could reveal the horrors he and his siblings endured. What authorities uncovered sent shockwaves across the interne. The seemingly idyllic world presented by Ruby Franke, was a sinister illusion.
At the height of her online fame, Ruby Franke had amassed nearly 2.5 million subscribers, portraying herself as a devoted mother of six raising her children in Utah. However, Hulu’s explosive three-part documentary, Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, presents a vastly different reality. Compiled from over 1,000 hours of unseen footage, the series reveals chilling abuse, manipulation, and control. Behind the camera, it was different. Franke bullied her children, coerced them into appearing cheerful, and inflicted severe punishments when they failed to comply.
Authorities who examined her son determined he was severely malnourished, with visible bones, bruises, and lacerations from being restrained. A raid on the home led to the discovery of his equally underfed 10-year-old sister, cowering in a closet. Her head was shaved. Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested, facing multiple felony child abuse charges. Both pleaded guilty and are now serving a combined sentence of up to 30 years.
The Addictive Rise of 8 Passengers
Franke’s foray into YouTube began in 2015 when her family posted their first viral video, Baby Crawls Out of Crib, a clip that has since vanished from the platform. Her husband, Kevin, recalled the excitement of receiving their first paycheck—just $85. But as the revenue surged to thousands and then hundreds of thousands per month, the family became consumed by content creation. At their peak, 8 Passengers was earning $100,000 a month. The need to maintain engagement turned into a relentless pursuit, with Franke resorting to extreme discipline whenever her children resisted being filmed.
One of the most disturbing cases involved her eldest son, Chad. As a fan favorite, he was often at the center of videos, but when his enthusiasm wavered, he faced cruel punishments. At one point, he was forced to sleep on a beanbag for seven months as punishment. He later revealed he was frequently spanked and whipped with a belt, recalling moments when his mother’s anger escalated beyond control. His sister, Shari, the eldest of the six children, recounted helping him clean blood off the walls after a particularly violent episode.
“Our entire lives revolved around YouTube,” Shari explained, describing how the family home was kept in a constant state of perfection for filming. Even the lighting was altered to create a stage-like effect.
Ignored Warnings and Failed Interventions
Concerns about the Franke household had been raised long before authorities intervened. Ten months before her mother’s arrest, Shari made a desperate 911 call. She reported that her younger siblings were being left alone for extended periods. A group of worried neighbors also voiced their concerns, but legal barriers prevented immediate action. Police told the neighbors they needed a warrant to enter the home, but a judge refused to sign off on it. Even child welfare caseworkers failed to act, claiming there was nothing they could do.
When officials finally raided the house, they discovered a locked basement room filled with disturbing items: handcuffs, bloody gauze, duct tape, and a mixture of cayenne pepper and honey—substances reportedly used to treat wounds inflicted on the children. Hildebrandt, when questioned, claimed she did not know the code to open the room.
A Twisted Alliance and Devil-Like Control
At the center of Ruby Franke’s descent into abuse was her relationship with Jodi Hildebrandt, a self-proclaimed spiritual counselor. Kevin Franke, who had been banished from the home a year prior, described Hildebrandt’s unsettling influence. He claimed she would enter trance-like states and speak in eerie voices. Which convinced the family that she was under attack by dark forces.
Shari believes her mother and Hildebrandt were romantically involved. Upon returning home from college, she found massage oil and melted candles in the room they shared. “I do think they were lovers,” she admitted.
Kevin also sensed a deep, almost obsessive connection between the two women. He believes Hildebrandt turned Ruby against him, orchestrating his removal from the home along with their then-17-year-old son, Chad. “She wanted Ruby to herself,” he said. “To do that, she needed me gone.”
Devil Shattered The Family, a Legacy in Ruins
The unraveling of 8 Passengers began when a video surfaced in which Chad described his punishment of being forced to sleep in the basement. Public backlash was swift, and the family lost sponsorships and subscribers. Rather than issuing an apology, Ruby doubled down, immersing herself in Hildebrandt’s ideology. When the pandemic struck, followed by an earthquake in Utah, Hildebrandt convinced the Frankes that the world was ending, prompting them to begin hoarding supplies.
One of the most disturbing revelations was the discovery of a blue folder in Ruby’s bedroom. It detailed the punishments she inflicted upon her children in an effort to “cast out demons.” She had become convinced that her youngest kids were possessed by demons and justified their suffering as a means of exorcism.
Where Are They Now?
Kevin Franke, despite feeling betrayed and manipulated, admits he still harbors love for Ruby. “The actions she took were horrific, but I can’t erase the memories of our life together,” he confessed. His children, however, have largely severed ties. Shari has become an advocate for stricter regulations on family vlogging, vowing never to speak to her mother again. Chad believes his mother should remain incarcerated until all his younger siblings reach adulthood.
The case of Ruby Franke serves as a chilling cautionary tale about the dark side of social media fame. What started as a wholesome family channel unraveled into a web of manipulation, control, and unthinkable cruelty. The once-beloved 8 Passengers is now a grim reminder of how the pursuit of online validation can mask horrors behind the camera.
