Ever wonder how someone can smile for the camera while hiding a horror show at home? Ruby Franke’s case is about to make your true crime senses tingle in all the worst ways.
I’ve spent the last week falling down this particularly disturbing rabbit hole (with snacks, obviously), and let me tell you – this one’s as twisted as a corkscrew in a hurricane.
The Picture-Perfect YouTube Facade
Ruby Franke built her brand on being Mother of the Year material. Her YouTube channel “8 Passengers” racked up millions of views showcasing her seemingly perfect Mormon family of six kids. Wholesome content, life lessons, family values – the algorithm ate it up like candy.
But behind that carefully curated content? A nightmare was unfolding that would make even the most hardened true crime junkie’s skin crawl.
(I’ve watched enough interrogation videos to know when someone’s wearing a mask, but this one fooled me too.)
When the Mask Slipped Off
Last August, Ruby’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window and ran to a neighbor’s house. The poor kid was emaciated, covered in wounds, and had duct tape around his ankles. Let that sink in – DUCT TAPE. Around a CHILD’S ankles.
Police found Ruby’s 9-year-old daughter in similar condition at the home of Jodi Hildebrandt, Ruby’s business partner and “life coach.” Both women were arrested and later convicted of child abuse – with Ruby now serving up to 30 years.
The Psychological Puzzle: What Happened to Ruby?
As someone with a criminology degree gathering dust in my closet (thanks, corporate America), I’m fascinated by what transforms a seemingly normal person into someone capable of starving and torturing their own children.
Ruby’s journals – which have been analyzed in disturbing detail online – reveal a mind spiraling into delusion. She wrote about her children being possessed by demons and needing to be “saved” through what amounted to torture.
It’s like reading the diary of a cult member, except the cult leader was her “life coach” Jodi Hildebrandt.
The Jodi Factor: When Influence Becomes Control
If this case were a crime board in my home office (which Ryan has begged me to take down because “it’s disturbing the neighbors”), all the red string would lead to Jodi Hildebrandt.
Jodi, a licensed therapist specializing in “sex addiction therapy,” appears to have exerted extraordinary influence over Ruby. Their relationship evolved from therapist-client to business partners in a company called “ConneXions” that promoted extreme parenting methods.
Multiple psychological analyses of their relationship suggest Jodi used manipulation tactics straight out of the Cult Leader’s Handbook (not a real book, but it should be). She isolated Ruby, reinforced paranoid thinking, and encouraged increasingly extreme “disciplinary” measures.
The Social Media Paradox
The most chilling aspect of this case? Ruby documented her life online while simultaneously abusing her children offline. It’s as subtle as a bloodstain on white carpet – once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Earlier videos from the channel show concerning disciplinary tactics that viewers flagged years ago. Ruby once punished her young son by withholding food. Another time, she made her daughter sleep on a beanbag for months.
These weren’t just red flags – they were crimson banners flapping in a hurricane.
Would I Have Survived This Case?
Unlike most cases I obsess over, this one hits differently. As viewers, we were all unwitting witnesses. We collectively watched a family disintegrate in real-time, disguised as wholesome content.
I’d like to think I would have spotted the warning signs earlier (I pride myself on my true crime detective skills, after all). But the truth? Thousands of us watched without realizing the horror unfolding between uploads.
The Aftermath: Children in Recovery
The silver lining in this nightmare? Ruby’s estranged husband Kevin has filed for divorce and is working to reunite with his children. The kids are reportedly in recovery, though the psychological scars will likely last a lifetime.
Some wounds don’t heal with bandages and time – they require years of therapy and support. And even then, the scars remain.
Lock your doors tonight, true crime friends. Sometimes the monsters aren’t hiding under the bed – they’re filming content for their YouTube channel.