'8 Passengers' Ruby Franke Details "Physical Torture" on Her Kids

>> To be Frank he was a youtube star mom fluence or who put herself. Her family and her parenting techniques on the Internet for the world to see on her 8 passengers channel and millions watch. She gained many fans but as her popularity grew so did her number critics who did not agree with her controversial parenting skills then her youtube channel disappeared and then trauma surrounding her family blew up first her marriage her husband, Kevin left the marital home after the woman counseling the couple suggested it that woman's name is Jodi Hildebrandt then Ruby and Judy drew closer they co-hosted a life coaching podcast been Ruby and her children moved into jodi's home but then things got very real when one of Ruby's children ran out of the home to a neighbor looking for food, he called police who investigated the home situation that resulted in aggravated child abuse charges against Ruby, then showed he was also charged and today Ruby was back in court admitting to or guilt. And tonight we'll show you what happened and look at the details of the allegations NBA abuse suffered by those children. Then we'll examine the relationship between Ruby and Jody as we investigate the shocking world of Ruby Frankie. ♪ >> How many Paula to thank you for joining us tonight here on closing arguments big our ahead. >> And when you think about the 8 passengers youtube channel that was started by Ruby Frankie this was really a family project. You know on the one hand I look at some of the early videos. I mean the real early videos and it seems like they're just home movies. Showing showing a family and then obviously they got more and more sophisticated maybe and in the level of drama to solve it. But think about he have an opportunity to work with your family get to earn some decent money. But again you get to spend time with your family. Now of course this comes with controversy if if you start using that children in maybe the children don't have a choice or the children don't really want to be on camera they don't want their business out they're on the Internet for there. You know their classmates and peers to see that becomes very problematic. But at the outset I think it was really just a family project but then things changed dramatically and there were problems for Ruby Frankie on this channel because of some of the controversial parenting choices that you made in terms of punishment. You have millions of viewers you're going to have lots of critics who are going to look at everything you do. And once you are built up were every you become famous star people looking to take you down sometimes justly sometimes unjustly, but this case it was the way the children were being treated patented that raised a lot of I a lot of eyebrows people are looking at what's really going on here and with it's 8 passengers and Ruby Frankie and the kids and the family. Why why they're being punished this particular way. Nothing happened as a result of a thing that was posted there were no criminal charges related to any of that. But then things you've opt and things devolved in the family and the family have the their own issues. They brought in a counselor and the counselor told them to split Jodi Hildebrand was her name told Ruby and told her husband to get out of that house so he got out of the House to try to save them said the match but then these to move in together. >> Jody and Ruby and. >> There's a lot more trouble they both get indicted for aggravated child abuse in the question is who's to blame here. Right you look at the situation you've got a mother you know, hey mom you're in charge, your kids but then you're getting professional help and coaching from someone. >> And is she. >> Telling you to do these things. Is she have some sort of mind control over you is she a bad influence. >> Or is it on mom. Or what exactly that is the dynamic here this is something we're going to look at this hour in the show because this is at this point is probably the most crucial part of what needs to be. What needs to be uncovered. And that's because Ruby was in court today. She has some charges or God there are some limitations on that on the sentencing but she's she's going to some time she's going to definitely do some time here. I think the big question is how much and there's a huge range but she entered into this deal and I think. What happens to her is predicated upon an come covering what was really happening. As this woman Jodi Hildebrandt. And Ruby Frankie together we're in charge. Work together in this home and these children were being abused. Like who's the boss. Who's the boss who's to blame here. We're going to take a look at it but as I mentioned to be Frank e in court today pleading guilty. 4 counts of child abuse, let's take a look let's take a listen. >> Has been handed a. >> A plea agreement and it appears to be signed by MS. Frankie miss Frankie did you sign this agreement, yes, and you did that today when did you sign You've read it carefully everywhere. Your signature represents to the court that you've read it carefully that you understand what you read it you agree to all of the terms is that all accurate. Yes. You had sufficient time to ask questions of your counsel to go over any questions you have you're ready to go forward. >> Yes, you don't need any more time, I'm ready. >> Is Frankie is anyone pressuring you to enter into this agreement. Anyone promising you anything I haven't been told about. You know anything that's not in the written plea agreement. Were you under the influence of alcohol or drugs today. Is there anything today that could in any way interfere with your ability to understand the agreement its consequences anything. No physical condition. No medication nothing. No. The for the record Council. Mister when we're ready to proceed. We are ready perceived all right ahead. Miss Frankie how do you plead to count one aggravated child abuse a second-degree felony. To count 3 aggravated child abuse a second-degree felony. To count 5 aggravated child abuse a second-degree felony. 2 and a count 6 aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony. With my deepest regret. >> And so for my family and my children guilty. >> It was easy for I've seen a lot of guilty pleas my day and that what I see every time she said guilty says she took a moment here. I mean I think there's a sense a realization of what she was doing to these kids at this point and that it wasn't OK that it's not normal. Now it's a plea deal out a plea deal. There's a given there's a get right you've got to give something to get something. Prosecutors knocked off a couple of accounts. And she has to do something as well take a look on the screen. >> This is sick. If it can't. The defendant agrees to testify truthfully against. Jody Hildebrandt. That's what she needs to do. She needs to provide testimony against Jodi Hildebrandt. So those 2. >> No longer podcast partners. With anything any sort anything in common in terms of what they are going to end up trying to do here. Ruby Frankie's point the fingers at her she was the bad influence on me. The problem is she's the mother that's that's going to be the problem, but this is significant for prosecutors. You have these little more difficult to prosecute someone else for the abuse of someone else's children right Julie Heldman is that the mother but it was her house. What we also learned today and they didn't say this stuff out loud in some courtrooms when you enter your guilty plea you will say out loud exactly what you did. Instead she signed a document that outlined what she did. We have that document take a listen. >> RF was forced to do physical test for hours and days at a time these included wall sits hearing boxes full of books up and down stairs and working outside of eventually. >> RF was forced to do outside labor without shoes in the summer heat. It was forced to stand in direct sunlight for several days. He was forced to remain outside at all hours of the day and night for extended periods of time. These actions resulted in repeated and serious some Burns with blistered and slumping skin RF was denied adequate water for several days and he was punished when he secretly consumed water. He was denied sufficient food and when given food he was given very plain meals while others in the House a regular more flavorful meals. After RF attempted to run away in July, its hands and feet we're regularly bound binding included being tied to the defendant and to waits many times the binding included using 2 sets of handcuffs. >> One on RS wrist and one on his ankles at times with RF lying on his stomach. >> Ropes were used to tie the 2 sets of handcuffs together so that his arms and lower legs were lifted off the ground abuse committed by the defendant included kicking RF while wearing boots holding his head under water and cutting off oxygen by placing her hands over his mouth and nose. The defendant and another adult regularly sought to indoctrinate RF and convince him he was evil and possessed and that he needed to willingly be obedient to avoid punished. It's a into that the punishments were necessary to repent he was also told everything that was being done to an act of love other than binding in the specific instances of abuse RF was subjected to BF was subjected to the same tree and as her brother she was isolated and forced to do physical test remain outside and denied food and water. She was also repeatedly told she was evil and possessed the punishments were necessary her to be obedient and to repent and these things are being done to in order to help her she was forced to work outside in the Heat barefoot she was also forced to run barefoot on dirt roads for extended periods of time we have speed were repeatedly injured and she was repeatedly sunburn when examined on August 30th. These wounds were a parent by scabs blisters and swapping skin. >> Thank goodness that young child escaped that House and got to the neighbor. We'll be looking at another shonda of and our case here. Denying food and water. And then cuffing the hands and the feet. And tying them together lifted them up what is this. What is she got a deal that one to 15 years per count. Kun secu too. Which is good she's going to time just due time how much good maybe the issue here but thank goodness that child escaped. We bring in our guest joining me in Salt Lake City, Utah, a host of the Mormon stories podcast a doctor John to lead and in Chicago, Illinois cripple defense attorney host of the defense diaries Bob Mata great to see you both tonight. John let me begin with you as we are getting more of these details now tonight about exactly what was done to these children, your reaction. >> Yeah, it's just sickening I actually actually texted Jesse Hildebrandt Jody LeBron sneeze who. We all know who cover this case was abused by. Our Jodi a decade or 2 ago. Response to us she's shaking because so much of the abuse. That now is being revealed as as to happen to. You know Ruby in Kevin's kids happened a decade or 2 ago. To Georgia has been doing stuff like this for a long long time. And just that or it's these these kids were tortured and it's just it's sickening. >> this is George are you know here on Court TV we just covered shonda vendor arc who similarly Lee was torturing a child inside this is very summer, but this child was able to escape and get help thank goodness. What do you think of this plea this deal are you surprised number one that she came into court and signed that document admitting it all. >> Not necessarily I think that from probably hurt her knee adviser that in order to try to to garner some goodwill from the court. In terms of being able to allow her children not to have to go through the nightmare of testifying at You know and and for judicial economy, she'll probably get some credit in terms of the sentencing you know it's a it's unusual lightning typically when I'm working on a plea deal. The years are part of the deal. You that that's what I usually considered to be a plea deals were. We agree on whatever counts likely it's going to plead to but we also agree on. The sensing side of it in terms of how much time. This is unusual in the sense that that's open ended as you were talking about Vitti you these each count carries a range from one to 15 years as you said we're going to run consecutive, which means one after another not on top of each other which would be concurrent so I mean we're looking at a potential massive range. I tend to think that is probably going to drop somewhere in the 5 to 7 years ranges is what my guesses. >> John I'm going. What did you see from Ruby Frankie today and said that courtroom I was watching her as she's saying those words guilty each time that she's kind of like closing her eyes do you think there's a. Realization of what she did to these kids that it that it's that it's not OK that this is not normal. >> Yeah like it Kerr af act it you know as You know admitting to these horrible deeds. It's a completely different Ruby Frank is far as I'm concerned if you watch sort of the frantic nurse and the energy and the passion and almost the over confidence with which under youtube channel she was willing to fix you know. Dole out punishments to are children there was almost like a smirk on her face when she was with withholding you know lunch for kindergarden child or or you know taking her sons. You know better way so they had to sleep in a bean bag just this over over energetic some are key pride and we're seeing a totally Ruby Frankie. Today there's humility those contrition their sorrow. There's regret and the only way I can the best way I can summarize what's happened is. She was under the influence of ineffective cult leader I think Jodi Hildebrandt so in some sense was running a cold within a cult and I don't want to take away the. The responsibility of of Ruby and Kevin because at the end of the day they're the parents in the arm responsible. But I think in in some ways. They were operating under this conditioning of of sin and evil and evil spirits and repentance and worthiness and Jodi Hildebrandt took those very core Christian or Mormon doctrines and created this cold in a coal where she was sort of brainwashed and I think this is the first time I've ever seen Ruby Frankie without the brainwash conditioning sort influencing are very speech veterans. >> Bob Mada how do speak to someone like this and you know in prepare them for that moment, Ruby Frankie has not led a life of crime, many people who are in our criminal justice system is not their first time as the first time and it's a doozy it's a doozy is is it sometimes tough to break through to someone like that first timer. >> Yeah it is in this situation like this we are talking about that there was outside influence and in terms of Hildebrandt and really kind of needle her way into her brain. I think the time was the friend of the attorney in terms of trying to to kind of wait it out, you know because out of sight out of mind is really a thing and I think that once that separation occurred. I think that that Ruby was probably able to start kind of gathering her own thoughts once again. And I think it it became clear to her that oh my God. You know this it gotten way out of control I mean the kind of the way that I view it is you know mean we're like 2 steps away from her being like Lori Vallow type resy you know in terms of how she was treating the kids you know, I mean with the repenting and the evil of that. You know, I mean like how far away we are from the darkness scale here, you know it it's it's But you know in terms of trying to break through your client you just have to be realistic about the possibility of being able to win at trial. And then once you can get them over the hump that look you know most overturned attorneys going be able to get you out of this the facts are what they are there's witnesses that will come in and testify to it you know, so let's try to figure out the best way to 2 minimize the damage to you and to not force your children to have to go through any more torture that being stuck in a court of law testifying as to the abuses that they suffered for years. >> Absolutely I want to show the moment where the judge lets you know you're going to prison. Take a look. >> The court finds that the factual basis is sufficient. All of the terms of the agreement. Are stipulated including that the court obtain a pre-sentence investigation report correct. Correct. They won't be argument about whether prison is the appropriate sentence and there's an agreement about to I think 4 counts running consecutive. That is correct. All right the court finds then that Miss Frankie's please are made knowingly and voluntarily the court therefore except an interest those please. The court orders the preparation of a pre-sentence investigation report to be prepared by PNP and the Department of Corrections. Council what about sentencing on February 20th. I do you do you and your client agreed to waive time Council we do agree to waive time. >> This is this is such a turn of events if you go back in time you know she starts out as a mom flew in Sir trying to influence other parents out

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Length: 21min 20sec (1280 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 19 2023