Hundreds of families share their daily lives on YouTube, gathering thousands of fans; Ruby Franke did exactly that. In 2015, the Frankes started a family YouTube channel where the mother gained both popularity and backlash for her strict parenting. Years ago the Franke family posted a video mentioning the oldest son, Chad slept on a bean bag for the last seven months due to Ruby taking away his room. The video gained traction from the media and viewers thought it a harsh punishment. Child Protective Services got involved due to the massive circulation around the YouTube video but the case was closed due to a lack of evidence. Although CPS opened an investigation, the case failed to continue due to lack of evidence. After the allegations started picking up on Ruby neglecting her kids, she posted multiple Instagram stories stating she would no longer post her kids online. Shortly after, she proceeded into business with Jodi Hilderbrant, a therapist with a suspended license due to malpractice. Franke and Hilderbtant created Connexions Classroom, a site to talk about mental health and awareness which seemingly relates to a cult-type therapy due to the strict format of their Connexions Classroom and the rules and regulations users must follow to participate in their classes.
On the morning of August 30, France’s youngest son, Russell, escaped from the home out of an open window and ran to a neighbor’s home asking for food and water. The neighbors noticed lacerations from a rope, along with duct tape on his hands and ankles. Russell mentioned another child in the home, later identified as Eve, Ruby’s youngest daughter. Paramedics took the two children to the nearest hospital for treatment; both children displayed signs of extreme malnourishment and neglect. Soon after, police put Ruby and Hilderbrant into custody, and Ruby Lost rights to all four of her children. Both Ruby and Hilderbrant face felony counts of aggravated child abuse. Ruby’s neighbors spoke out saying they thought the family seemed off in recent years, while Ruby’s ex-husband denies any allegations claiming he contributed to the abuse.
“We wouldn’t feel right about moving forward with regular content without addressing the most recent events. Once we do, we will not be commenting on it further. Ruby was arrested, which needed to happen. Jodi was arrested, which needed to happen. The kids are now safe which is the number one priority. For the last three years, we have kept quiet on the subject of our sister Ruby Franke for the sake of her children. Behind the public scene, we have done everything we could to make sure the kids were safe,” Franke’s sisters, Ellie Mecham and Julie Griffiths Deru said.
A handful of people came out and stated they frequently tried to call CPS or the police to bring awareness to signs of Ruby possibly mistreating her children. Ruby’s neighbors came out with multiple statements mentioning certain activities that seemed out of the ordinary for typical children and a typical family. Her children stopped playing around the neighborhood and Ruby’s backyard was filled with fun activities the children never utilized. A neighbor claimed that while doing yard work, she spotted Ruby’s children outside for hours pulling weeds and working in the yard. Ruby herself even posted multiple videos on their family YouTube channel that worried viewers, such as mentioning her limiting her daughters’ calories each day. Ruby sent her oldest son Chad to a wilderness therapy camp for troubled teens, which knowingly causes excessive trauma.
As Franke started a business with Hilderbrant, her family states she started changing her parenting style and began to obsess over what she and Hilderbrant supported and advocated for. Franke and Hildebrandt’s business, Connexions Classroom, thinks everyone should follow and support their beliefs, and everyone needs to research their website to become his or her “true self.” Since Hilderbrant started partaking in the Connexion beliefs, she stopped talking to her family and ended friendships, along with separating from her husband. Viewers believe Franke and Hilderbrant collectively started neglecting their kids when the Connexions Classroom began. Although Ruby always seemed strict with her children, viewers who followed their videos and family life believed that the abuse existed to such an extent.
“That abuse is going to cause scars the kids carry for the rest of their lives, not only physical scars but mental and emotional scars. Their ability to become parents is affected too. They are going to have to make a conscious decision to not abuse their kids because they have only grown up with abuse,” NC Early Childhood Education teacher Becky Young said.
Due to Ruby’s choice to record the children’s childhood giving the children no privacy, Ruby’s abuse toward her children over the last couple of years will negatively impact them for years to come. Although Ruby’s abuse shocked her viewers, child abuse commonly occurs in the entertainment industry. For example, the Labrant family supposedly mistreated their oldest daughter by having another child. The media capitalized on their abuse allegations similar to how the media treated Hilderbants and Ruby’s allegations. Ruby’s case shows a prime example of the harm caused to children when strangers see private details of their lives.
