Introducing: The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke

The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke

Law&Crime | Wondery

Society & Culture, Ruby Franke, #Jodi Hildebrandt, True Crime

3 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2024

⏱️ 2 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ruby Franke, a Utah mom turned YouTube “momfluencer” who amassed 2.6 million subscribers, was known for her strict disciplinarian parenting style. But authorities now say that her "tough love" was actually child abuse. Ruby Franke's son escaped from the Utah home of her self-help business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt. The boy was reportedly starved and tied up with duct tape along with his 10 year old sister. As law enforcement dug deeper, they uncovered injuries, torture, and emotional harm inflicted by both Franke and Hildebrandt. Law&Crime takes you behind the scenes, from Ruby and Jodi's path to internet stardom, to the investigation that brought them down.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	My gosh, you guys having kids is so much fun.
0:04.5	Ruby Frankie, a Utah mom turned YouTube mom
0:07.7	influencer who amassed 2.6 million subscribers,
0:11.1	was known for her strict, disciplinarian parenting style.
0:14.7	My kids are literally starving.
0:16.4	I hesitate to say this because it's going to sound like I'm like a mean barbarian,
0:20.3	but I told the kids I said,
0:21.6	I'm not even going to let you eat breakfast until you get your chores done.
0:25.0	But authorities now say that her tough love was actually child abuse.
0:31.0	9 I'm on the address of your emergency?
0:33.4	I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door asking for help.
0:38.7	Ruby Frankie's son escaped from the Utah home of her self-help business partner,
0:43.3	Jody Hildebrandt.
0:44.6	I worked he said a 12-year-old male showed up with tape around his legs
0:48.2	thirsty asking for help, that he was afraid asking for police.
0:51.1	The boy was reportedly starved and tied up with duct tape alongside his 10 year old sister.
0:56.0	This kid is obviously in detained, he's covered in wounds.
0:59.0	We need the cops as soon as possible.
1:02.0	As law enforcement dug deeper,
1:04.1	they uncovered injuries, torture, and emotional harm
1:07.4	inflicted by both Frankie and Hildebrandt.
1:10.0	It's horrifying that it has taken to this long and to this degree for people to listen and to do something about it, but not shocking.
	...

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