Remember when we all thought the worst thing a mommy vlogger could do was force her kid to reshoot a tearful birthday reaction? Oh, sweet summer children we were.
When Ruby Franke was arrested last August, I was doom-scrolling before bed (as one does) when my phone lit up with the news alert. I literally gasped so loud my husband Ryan thought I’d seen a spider. But this was so much worse than a spider. This was a monster hiding in plain sight.
The former “8 Passengers” YouTube star—who once lectured her millions of followers about proper parenting—was hauled away in handcuffs for abusing her own children. The kind of abuse that makes you want to throw your phone across the room and then check your doors are locked. Twice.
The Perfect Mormon Mom Mask Slips
Ruby built her brand on being a strict but loving Mormon mom of six who just happened to film her family’s every move for the internet. Her channel racked up millions of views from parents looking for guidance on raising well-behaved, faithful kids.
But behind that carefully filtered facade lurked something much darker (as subtle as a bloodstain on white carpet). What began as controversial “tough love” parenting evolved into full-blown child abuse that included starvation, physical restraint, and psychological torture.
The transformation seemed to accelerate after Ruby partnered with “family counselor” Jodi Hildebrandt. Together they created ConneXions, a bizarre counseling service that preached extreme discipline and cutting off “toxic” family members. (Spoiler alert: when someone tells you to isolate from everyone who questions them, they’re probably the toxic one.)
The Children Left Behind
The most heartbreaking aspect of this whole mess is what happens to the kids. Six children who didn’t ask to be internet famous now have to navigate life with a mom serving 4-30 years in prison and a dad fighting for custody.
Her oldest daughter Shari has become the family’s most vocal member, distancing herself from her mother’s actions and writing a memoir about her experiences. The younger children have been placed with family members while their father Kevin Franke (who was estranged from Ruby at the time of her arrest) works to regain custody.
I can’t stop thinking about the psychological impact on these kids. Imagine having your childhood trauma not only inflicted by your mother but broadcast and archived online forever. The internet never forgets—especially something this sensational.
The Ripple Effect on Family Vlogging
Ruby’s case has blown the lid off the family vlogging industry like a pressure cooker left unattended. (I would have survived this crime because I’m paranoid enough to triple-check my appliances, but I digress.)
For years, critics have questioned the ethics of monetizing children’s lives online. Ruby’s case is the nightmare scenario that confirms every fear: that some parents might be performing for the camera while abusing their kids behind the scenes.
The documentary Devil in the Family explores how Ruby’s online persona helped mask her increasingly disturbing behavior. Watching it made me realize how easily we’re all duped by curated content. Those perfect Instagram families? Maybe check if anyone’s blinking “help me” in Morse code.
What Actually Remains?
So what’s Ruby Franke’s legacy? A cautionary tale, certainly. A reminder that social media is the ultimate magic trick—showing us exactly what the performer wants us to see.
Her case has sparked renewed calls for legislation protecting children in family vlogs. It’s also made viewers more skeptical of the perfect families they follow online (which, honestly, we should have been all along).
For true crime obsessives like me, it’s a reminder that monsters don’t always look like monsters. Sometimes they look like a Mormon mom of six with a YouTube channel and a book deal.
And for parents? Maybe it’s time to ask whether broadcasting your kids’ lives for profit and validation is ever truly in their best interest. Because the line between sharing and exploitation might be thinner than we thought—about as thin as the veneer of Ruby’s picture-perfect family life.
Lock your doors tonight, friends. The scariest stories are the ones happening right next door.