On August 30, 2023, influencer mom Ruby Franke and her podcast partner Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse. Both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to up to 30 years in prison as a result. The arrests took place at Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah. After the women were taken into custody, the property was searched. Franke’s 9-year-old daughter was found hiding in the closet.
Newly released police bodycam footage shows it took four hours for officers to convince the frightened girl she was safe. They got her food and drinks. They played music. She finally came out on her own. It is truly heartbreaking to watch.
The Washington County Attorney’s Office in Utah released the bodycam footage. “The officers responded to Ms. Hildebrandt’s home, placed her under arrest, and conducted a search of her sizable property where they found Ms. Franke’s 9-year-old daughter, petrified and hiding in a closet,” they explained. Many different first responders patiently talked to the young girl to explain they were there to help.
One first responder can be heard telling the young girl: “We helped your brother. We want to get you some help too.” Police were alerted to the situation by Franke’s 12-year-old son. He escaped the home and went to neighbors for help.
More from LittleThings: Parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke Pleads Guilty To 4 Counts Of Aggravated Child Abuse
The youngest two members of the Franke family faced a “work-camp like setting” according to prosecutors. They often went without food, water, beds, or any kind of recreation. They were beaten and did tough physical labor in extreme heat.
Hildebrandt and Franke were motivated by religion. “The women appeared to fully believe that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined ‘sins’ and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies,” the Washington County Attorney’s Office explained in its case summary. Both women apologized to the six Franke children during their sentencing hearings.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
