Controversy has always surrounded the famous YouTube family channel, “8 Passengers,” for their extreme parenting styles and values.
Audiences consumed their content, but everyone’s worst nightmare turned into a reality when news broke of one of the children escaping from the abuse in order to find help and save the other siblings.
Since that moment in August, court trials and further investigations have been launched on mother Ruby Franke and continue to unveil unsettling information about what took place behind the camera all these years.
Who is ‘8 Passengers?’
Based in Utah, the Franke family consists of six kids ranging from the ages 20 to 11 years old. Parents Ruby and Kevin Franke showcased their daily life in vlogs, but their niche aspect to their videos was their questionable parenting style. The Franke’s follow and practice Mormon beliefs, influencing their daily routine in each video.
The family YouTube channel grew larger audiences as Ruby revealed more details about her expectations and consequences for her six children. In one of many striking videos, Ruby shares how her eldest son Chad lost the privilege to his bedroom for seven months because of a harmless prank. People who tuned in could not fathom how a bedroom was a privilege to a child.
From YouTube Videos to Court Trials
Following an uproar in controversy over “8 Passengers,” the channel came to an end and marital separation between Ruby and Kevin Franke in 2022. In that same year, Ruby started a new channel for parenting advice called ConneXions with business partner Jodi Nan Hildabrandt.
Jodi and Ruby’s creation of ConneXions became a dangerous situation for the Franke children involved as they suffered malnourishment and neglect before one of the children escaped to seek help.
Both women were convicted for six counts of child abuse in Early September. One question that has seemed to arise is how the Franke parent’s were able to get away with this for so long when 8 Passengers exists, cumulating years of digital evidence. There are years upon years of evidence that display neglect and emotional abuse from Ruby.
What Happens Now?
As of now, Ruby and Jodi are currently held in correctional facilities and face accusations of felony child abuse. Kevin has stepped in with his own attorney but has not been arrested as an accomplice to child abuse. He has attended a child welfare hearing alongside his two eldest children Shari and Chad.
News and Social Media have reacted and responded to the arrests of Ruby and Jodi with overwhelming support for the children involved and gratitude that Ruby is finally being reprimanded for what she has shown the public all these years.
As for details on upcoming trials, all records are sealed from the public and will continue to stay private throughout. This case involves explicit details about minor children and what trauma they have endured throughout the course of their lives. News coverage has been very invasive as there is a lot of attention surrounding Ruby Franke and her YouTube fame.
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