Ruby Franke, the creator of the now abandoned YouTube account “8 Passengers”, now has a documentary with over 1000 hours of unreleased footage detailing the horrific acts and events that led up to the downfall of the family.
The premise of the channel was to share the lives of a Mormon Family who were “truly like any other family.” The account consists of the face of the channel, Ruby Franke, her husband, Kevin Franke, as well as their six children. It started as a place for them to share their memories, but it quickly developed into a horrifying prison-like work environment. The entire household had a dramatic transformation at the interference of Jodi Hildebrandt, the woman who isolated the youngest children and the second abuser to the Franke kids.
“Jodi. Our family’s very own cult leader, a false prophet who swept into our lives like a hurricane, turning my mother into a fawning starstruck acolyte who lapped up her every demented word like it was holy water,” wrote Shari Franke in her book “House of My Mother”.
The documentary shares 1000 hours of unreleased footage that Ruby Franke herself recorded. She’s seen scolding her children, telling them to fake being happy as well as screaming, “You’re not entitled to talk when I’m recording.” Since then it has been revealed that she gave the children unusual punishments, such as confiscating their beds, food, and education. The eldest daughter, Shari Franke, recounts the time her brother was beaten so badly she had to “help him clean blood off the walls.” The revolting acts of their mother and the enabling of their father, who was kicked out of the home and refused to contact his children afterward, ultimately led to six traumatized children and two convicted felons.
“When you’re filming your lives, 24/7, the impact it can have on the children to perform or to rehearse, things become unnatural. I think that’s where it takes a social and emotional turn a negative impact towards the kids,” said Jeannie Crader, counselor.
Family channels have always been a controversial subject such as the case of the Labrant family who have been accused of exploiting their children for views. Oftentimes, children are forced to behave and look a certain way to cater to the wants of their viewers. The problem has worsened with social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok being fan favorites for these channels. With the rise of social media, internet safety is vital to keep children protected from online dangers.
“There’s a lot of people out in the world that don’t have the best intentions. When you market your kids or show your kids, especially if you’re saying where you’re from, are you identifying personal details such as school or programs that your kids have been put in? I think it is a dangerous place for outsiders, as well as all the different things that it can do to a child’s emotional side,” Crader said.
Not only were the actions of Franke and Hildebrandt immoral in every aspect, but they were especially inhumane and unthinkable for a mother to commit to her children. The suspected religious psychosis both women faced is undeniably no excuse for the trauma inflicted on these six kids. Both women were charged with 4 counts of child abuse, to which they had pleaded guilty. During this time, both Shari and Chad Franke plan to advance in their lives, whether their mother is included in their plan or not.
“I’ll continue to advocate for kids who don’t have a voice, but this is closure for me. I’m moving on with my life, and that’s true freedom and joy,” said Shari Franke.
