That is scary. I hope they take her pets away too if she has any.

"Ruby Franke, the Utah mom behind the now-defunct family YouTube channel 8 Passengers, was arrested Wednesday on child abuse charges after a malnourished child with open wounds and duct tape on their extremities was found, officials announced.

Franke's business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, was also arrested on the same charges. The two regularly collaborate on relationship and parenting advice videos for Hildebrandt's life counseling service ConneXions. ConneXions has been criticized in the past for its teachings about parenting, including prioritizing the organization's "principles of truth" over a person's children.

The Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department said in a press release Thursday it received a report about a juvenile in need of help at 10:50 a.m. Wednesday morning. The juvenile was described as 'emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds and duct tape around the extremities, The condition of the juvenile was so severe that they were seen by Santa Clara-Ivins EMS and transported to a local area hospital,' the press release said. Evidence led officers to a nearby home where another juvenile was found in similar condition and taken to a local hospital for treatment, the release said."

________________________________________________________________

OMG. The justice system along with their future prison will show these two "mothers" more mercy than they ever showed their poor children. I hope that the children are able to find a lawyer who will advocate for them, because they will all need a great deal of therapy.

As a side note -- One of my former second graders was the most beautiful, lovely boy that you could ever imagine. He had gorgeous brown curls and light hazel eyes. He was innocent and trusting, and just the epitome of a great kid. He was the sort of kid that if you could take him home with you and adopt him, you would do it in a heartbeat. The school social worker told me about the horrific abuse that he had endured -- similar to this case, but in my opinion, worse. The child lucked out and got great foster parents who were likely on track to adopt him -- thank goodness. That particular case gave me a whole new level of respect for social workers, who deal with the darkest corners of life on a daily basis.

I was the second grade field trip chaperone. All the teachers called me lizard man because I let my daughter bring an iguana for show and tell.

Okay, now, that's cool! I bet that your daughter's show and tell was quite the hit with the kids. :)

But they SAID they were parenting experts.

> . . . a whole new level of
> respect for social workers, who deal with the
> darkest corners of life on a daily basis.

As a class, those people bear incredible burdens for little money and less respect.

Heroes.

More on partner, Jodi Hildebrandt.

"Additionally, Hildebrandt's license to practice was previously put on probation in January 2012 by the Utah Clinical Mental Health Counselor Licensing Board, per the Salt Lake Tribune.

She allegedly revealed information about a client's "porn addiction" to members of her [LDS] church."

https://www.the-sun.com/news/8975843/inside-ruby-franke-biggest-controversies-fans/

Mental health counselors are subject to HIPAA privacy rules. The former client could sue her for breach of HIPAA.

There are also criminal penalties for HIPAA violations

https://www.hipaajournal.com/what-happens-if-you-break-hipaa-rules/

"The minimum fine for criminal violations of HIPAA is $50,000. The maximum criminal penalty for a HIPAA violation by an individual is $250,000. Restitution may also need to be paid to the victims. In addition to the financial penalty, a jail term is possible for a criminal violation of HIPAA Rules."


" 1. Criminal violations that occur as a result of negligence can result in a prison term of up to 1 year.
2. Obtaining protected health information under false pretenses carries a maximum prison term of 5 years.
3. Knowingly disclosing PHI with malicious intent or for personal/commercial gain can result in a prison term of up to 10 years in jail.
4. There is also a mandatory two-year jail term for aggravated identity theft."

The 8 passenger family is mom, dad and 6 children. The dad worked or works for BYU in Provo. The mom's parents are serving a mission right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2c7noTxiFE
The 8 passenger channel has been deleted but I have seen many of Ruby's videos. This is very heart breaking.

I'm curious as to why the dad was not arrested as well. Shouldn't he be considered an accessory?

I heard that as of 5 months ago, they were separated? That could be why. If he's no longer in the same house?

The worst of the abuse is not from being restrained or locked in a closet. It's the harsh words and refusal to be loved when asked/needed. However, courts can't act on those so it's the bruises, cuts, broken bones and effects from malnutrition which will prove undue suffering and excessive cruelty.

I hate the church because their only plan for women is to remind them over and over that their only purpose is to rear children. They make such a stink about being the ultimate care giver that sacrificing college education and career skills is required to have a happy home.

I was unfamiliar with this woman's Y/T channel, but I can only imagine that she served in the Primary presidency or the Young Women's presidency. She was obviously revered as one of those go-to persons as an expert in rearing children. My mom would have been directed to speak with her about fixin' my behavioral issues at church. My mom didn't have internet resources but she bought all kinds of Mormony books at the LDS bookstore about creating one's special Celestial Kingdom on Earth. My mom wanted order in the home and worshipped those sisters who projected the image of running perfect, happy homes welded to the gospel.

I thought the family house looks like a freaking compound, not a family home. Maybe it has a window or two obscured by solar shades. My first reaction to seeing the house in the video- It looks like a prison.

I used to watch the 8 passengers on YouTube. Ruby said that she was married in an LDS temple. Will Ruby be able to keep her temple recommend if she has one?

I noticed the article mentions wilderness discipline camps, normally where a person of means (the camps can be very expensive) puts a rebellious child to have his or her bad ways strong-armed out of them. I know that the method has proven largely worthless, and most people today wouldn't do this to their kid. In fact, I think that it's illegal in some states, but Utah keeps holding onto the belief that the cruel practice has merit.

Tough crowd. Wasn't this TBM mom only treating her kids like Mormon God treats everyone? Those kids are supposed to endure to the end like good little Mormons, duct tape and all.

Let me guess, she married an RM in the temple. He left his kids with this psycho.

She was indeed temple married. I guess that her religion did not do very much for her character. I hope that she goes to prison. Her fellow prisoners will make very clear to her what society thinks of her.

Shared custody would have uncovered the abuse a lot sooner. But in Mormonism, mom is in charge of the kids.

Many mental health professionals enter the field because they need therapy. I take it living gospel principles didn't do it for her.

From a neighbor:

“I remember that she took away their Christmas one year,” the male neighbor said, “and she would say things like ‘They’re not repenting correctly,’ which is a Mormon term for ‘they’re sinning.’ Just complete insanity.”

"The Frankes' strict parenting style has led some viewers to report them to authorities."

Abusive and arrogant enough to film it and think they were setting an example for other parents. Gross.

I don't think Mormonism has a monopoly on abusive parents. I've seen plenty of horrible parents in my travels. I don't know what the solution is but I've been tempted to @$%@ up a few bad parents. Of course, that's a temporary solution and would probably make matters worse for the children.

T-bone wrote in part:

"I don't think Mormonism has a monopoly on abusive parents. I've seen plenty of horrible parents in my travels. I don't know what the solution is but I've been tempted to @$%@ up a few bad parents. Of course, that's a temporary solution and would probably make matters worse for the children."

One *very* good long term solution would be to require all high school students to take classes in parenting. The fact is that whether they marry or not, the vast majority of children will become parents one day, and the only way most of them learn how to parent is through their own parents, whether or not *their* parenting skills were good or bad. Unfortunately, many on the right do not believe that high schools should be teaching these skills--they believe that it is government being a nanny and raising their kids to be Marxists. My response is if that is the case, then be prepared to see more hideous stories like the Franke story being discussed in this thread.

Now Ruby said some things about her children.

https://www.tiktok.com/@only_one_knit_toys/video/7276500673649315078

(Adult content)

Amazing.

I can't believe a word out of her mouth.

The internet is forever. Imagine one of her children applying for a job working with children. Ruby makes a worse minute-by-minute for her children. I feel so bad for her children.

Here is another angle of this story
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT82gH61L/

She makes some excellent points.

Wow!!

Mormonism as sociopathy*!!!





*Sociopathy is a psychological condition that causes people to struggle to engage socially with others.  Sociopaths, may have the ability to form relationships, but tend to ignore social norms.  They may lack empathy and have little to no conscience.  They may also be self-centered (especially once they get the priesthood [men] or get married in the temple [women]).

Signs of sociopathy include:

Low empathy and emotional intelligence  (your best bishops!!!)

Difficulty learning from mistakes  (your best Stake Presidents!)

Lack of concern for safety  (any General Authority!)

Sociopaths may be able to form attachments with like-minded individuals  (Apostles!)

A sociopathic cult within a sociopathic cult. At least we know why church leaders felt so comfortable referring people to her. . .

Obedience is the first law of heaven.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT82G76ob/

My best friend growing up had very strict LDS parents. Not tide down with a rope but she was hit if she got a bad grade in school. She has not talked to her parents in years.

The bishop recommended Jodi to his ward members.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT827GKoR/


This is getting much worse.

"In 2012, Hildebrandt was disciplined by state regulators for discussing a patient with leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU without their permission, The Salt Lake Tribune previously reported."

Salt lake Tribune

Female abusers are underreported

https://www.exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,2489031,2489031#msg-2489031

"New search warrants obtained by 2News details allegations of Jodi Hildebrandt using cayenne pepper and honey to "dress wounds" on the bodies of two of Ruby Franke's children where they had allegedly been bound with duct tape - a medically dangerous, and potentially painful - use of the herb."

https://kutv.com/news/8-passengers-case/youtube-8-passengers-ruby-franke-connexions-classrooms-jodi-hildebrandt-search-warrants-reveal-new-details-felony-child-abuse-case-cayenne-pepper-honey-dress-wounds-mental-health-family-therapy-utah-ivins-washington-county?fbclid=IwAR0iq7RpmWO4E24_BcLIme6LPWUECh7UVuO2xMvT0mKTmZnWUW_LiDD2hoY

I think if the lawyers for these two women have any sense at all, they are going to try to go for a plea deal. IMO they do *not* want the details of the abuse to go before a jury, because that will not end well for Hildebrandt or Franke.

I suspect the church would like this to end in a plea deal as well.

More and more things come to light. I feel bad for all of her 6 children.

https://reddit.com/r/exmormon/s/DYXVSPQViY

I do think that the Mormon teachings have something to do with Ruby's parenting.

Certainly, she was in the spectrum with her Mormon peers, Corporal punish is winked at in the subculture. The starvation was pathological, and her neighbors knew. She was reported to the police, but Ivins, Utah is 70% Mormon. I imagine the police force is dominated by brethren. The calls went unheeded.

Perhaps it says more about me than you that I think your statement is screamingly obvious. Mormonism is all about forced relationships, disproportionate punishment, and a need for public approval.

Which is to say I couldn't agree with you more.

On August 30 the 12 year old son of Ruby ran to the neighbor. The YouTube channel was called the 8 passengers. The father is Kevin and his lawyer said that Ruby and Kevin had been living separate for about 13 months. Kevin said that he had no idea about any abuse going on. Mormonism is a patriarchy why would Kevin as the das not know?

I think he saw plenty, but time will tell.

Not only did he see plenty, he participated whole heartedly. He kicked his oldest out of the house and tried to get her arrested for burglary when the police broke into the house to find children left for weeks alone, without food, etc. He's in it up to his eyeballs.

I am following that case because in my beliefs the lds church has something to do with the abuse. If the an LDS bishops recommends an abusive counselor also know as Jodi. The lds ward budget will only pay for an LDS counselor and not any counseling. A couple of years ago was a huge scandal about the lds adoption agency. Now LDS adoptions doesn't exist anymore. It was the year 2002 or 2003 when I was attending an LDS singles ward. The bishop read a letter from the first presidency that every baby that is born out of wedlock should be given up for adoption to an active LDS married couple. Next to me was sitting a single mom of maybe a 3 month old baby or so. I said nothing to the single mom after the sacrament meeting. I wish I would have said something nice to her like "you are a great mom don't listen to this stupid letter". Nope I said nothing and went to Sunday school class.

For example the lds teaching of paying tithing before anything else is very dangerous.

https://askgramps.org/should-i-pay-my-tithing-even-though-my-financial-situation/

How I wish people would sue the lds church for their bankruptcies for paying tithing first. I know they can't because it is a donation paying tithing but for active lds members it is about their eternal salvation. No tithing no temple recommend. Now this family had enough money to buy food for all their 6 children but maybe some lds families go to bed hungry so that they can pay tithing. My non member LDS dad made sure his children got food before my mom would pay tithing.

Right.

It's like oxygen masks on airplanes. Put your own on first so you can help others!

Pay yourself first so you can be secure and THEN you can leave even more to the church if you want.

If you pay the church first, there is a huge cost to your own security, opportunity, and ability to accumulate wealth. I suppose they think it is better to help the church accumulate first, but you may not get oxygen when you need it.

The father is at fault here too. OK so they broke up and he has been out of the house. But why the hell hasn't he been seeing his kids on the regular? He should have been seeing his kids every weekend. This was long term abuse to get the kids in that kind of condition. He left them with someone he must have known was abusive. If you listen to the older daughter this was no new news.

+1

I agree with your Susan. In my eyes he is culpable as well.

https://kutv.com/renderer/kutv/amp/news/8-passengers-case/kevin-franke-wanted-to-file-charges-against-daughter-with-burglary-threatens-to-sue-springville-police-jodi-hildebrandt-utah-children-daughter-shari-personal-items-tablets-cell-phones-passports-civil-issue

It looks like Kevin has something to hide.

I am getting a server error on the link. I think this is the same thing? And YES, I agree it looks like he has something to hide. He had a big panic when his journals were missing. It also looks like he may not have seen the kids for a YEAR?

https://kutv.com/news/8-passengers-case/kevin-franke-wanted-to-file-charges-against-daughter-with-burglary-threatens-to-sue-springville-police-jodi-hildebrandt-utah-children-daughter-shari-personal-items-tablets-cell-phones-passports-civil-issue

Yes, this is the same link. Kevin wants custody of his 4 youngest children. Kevin says he knew nothing about the abuse since he moved out of the house 13 months ago. The 2 youngest children were malnourished which doesn't happen over night.

The abuse had to have been going on for years. I think Kevin is being disingenuous.

I think Kevin is trying to cover his tracks/ass. Either he knew about the abuse or he had not seen his kids for a long, long time. I would like to know what the oldest sister has to say about him. I can't believe he tried to get her arrested for trying to take care of her sibs. Why wasn't HE trying to take care of them? His big panic was over his JOURNALS? Not his kids?

I would have done exactly as she did -- get the small electronics and other small valuables out of the house so that they would not be stolen (with the door being broken down.) Plus, along with the DSFS caseworker, she was getting clothing for the younger children. There were police on site, what did Kevin think would happen? And why wasn't he there getting the clothing and securing the valuables? Or getting a new door for the house?

I feel so bad for Shari she is only 20 years old instead of having fun being of to college she is trying to protect her siblings from her parents.

"Also at Jodi’s direction, Kevin cut off communication with nearly everyone in his life and was only permitted to talk to Ruby if she reached out — and “Ruby was only allowed to contact Kevin three or four times” in the next year, Kester says, who said that Kevin had been unaware of the abuse his children allegedly endured in his absence."


https://people.com/ruby-franke-case-kevin-kicked-out-house-spoke-phone-wife-three-four-times-8347395

Kevin is the dad and not Jodi. I hope the police will also investigate Connexions.

https://kutv.com/newsletter-daily/8-passengers-jodi-hildebrandt-ruby-franke-former-clients-speak-out-against-evil-practices-connexions-classroom

I think this could possibly be the tip of the iceberg and maybe Jodi has given bad advice to many of her clients.

Here is an update.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8h37wLs/

So the youngest 2 were with Jodi and the middle 2 children were with a lady from "connektions". My thoughts are now that several people knew about the abuse besides Jodi and Ruby. I hope I am wrong.

So there are six children. One is grown and gone. The two youngest were with the mother. This woman had 2 correct? So where is the other child? They are all so spread out I can't keep track. None were with the father.

Are there only signs of abuse to the two youngest? Do I have all this correct?

Yes, there are six children. Shari is 20 years old and Chad is 18.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8hKb5vc/

Shari studies at BYU in Provo.
The news outlets have not released where Chad was or his father Kevin Franke on the day Russel ran to the neighbor.

The two youngest were malnourished and had ropes tied to them on their wrists and ankles. The older 4 seemed to have been ok. Per news outlet the dad Kevin had moved out of the family home over a year ago. Kevin's lawyer said that Kevin was unaware of what was going on since he had moved out.