Former family YouTuber Ruby Franke has pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse. She faces 1 to 15 years in prison for each count. According to the terms of her plea bargain, she has agreed to serve her sentences either concurrently or consecutively. The judge in this case has sentencing discretion and it is not known what he will ultimately decide in January. She will remain in custody until her sentencing. She will likely receive a prison term but there is a possibility she won’t.
Franke previously operated the ‘8 Passengers’ YouTube channel, which had 2.5 million subscribers at its height. The channel was categorized as a “mommy blog” which chronicled her experiences as a mother with several children. These are the very children that she wound up pleading guilty to abusing. The house she lived in appeared to be beautiful from the outside. However, in reality, the home was a house of horrors.
Details about the extent of Franke’s abuse of her children became evident in September of this year. One of the children escaped and showed up on a neighbor’s front porch. The neighbor called the police after examining evidence of the child being tied up and malnourished. The child was overly skinny and had duct tape residue and rope marks on his wrists and ankles. Upon examination of the home, other children were found living in similarly brutal conditions.
SOURCES:
YouTube star Ruby Franke pleads guilty to child abuse – YouTube
Ruby Franke pleads guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse – YouTube
Ruby Franke Pleads Guilty to 4 Counts of Child Abuse
Ruby Franke admits forcing her children to work in sun, withholding water and food | KSL.com
Utah mommy blogger Ruby Franke, accused of abusing 6 children, enters plea deal
The Former YouTube Host Ruby Franke Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse – The New York Times
Ruby Franke, YouTube mom who gave parenting advice, pleads guilty to child abuse : NPR
Family YouTuber Ruby Franke Arrested On Horrific Charges – Anthony Brian Logan
Ruby Franke child abuse plea: Agreement details abuse of 2 children
