A body language expert has revealed a key gesture Ruby Franke made in court when she plead guilty to child abuse.
The former YouTuber and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt are now behind bars after pleading guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
In August 2023, the pair were arrested at Hildebrandt’s house in Utah, after Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window to knock on a neighbours home.
The child had duct tape around his ankles and wrists, and was covered in several wounds. He told the St George Police Department that Hildebrandt had put ropes on his limbs and used cayenne pepper and honey to dress his cuts.
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When Franke plead guilty in November 2023, Hildebrandt did the same a month later. The pair were sentenced up to 30 years in prison in February 2024.
Forensic psychologist Dr G took to his YouTube channel to share his thoughts on Franke's body language during the guilty plea.
He pointed out how she is often seen looking down, which is 'oftentimes a loss of confidence'.
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"It's a feeling of shame, potentially, so it does seem, and in a real way, that there is a sense of shame. As she pleads guilty to this," the expert explained.
"Deep breaths, closing her eyes, looking up, all of this, clearly, are the points they're causing her the most stress," he added.
"One thing that I have to at least acknowledge is that since she plead guilty now, her family doesn't have to get re-traumatised by going on the stand providing testimony about everything that's happened and relive all of this.
"So, hopefully by her entering this guilty plea, it's going to help the family start to heal more than they already have."
Two years after the success of her parenting YouTube channel, Franke joined Mormon therapist Hildebrandt's ConneXions podcast in 2022.
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After using their platform to issue controversial opinions about rape victims, immigrants, and people with eating disorders, they were arrested when Franke's 'emaciated' son alerted the neighbours.
He had visible marks around his face and was asking for food and drink.
This comes after Franke's oldest daughter, Shari, wrote on Instagram: "Today has been a big day.
"Me and my family are so glad justice is being served.
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"We've been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up."
Full timeline of the Ruby Franke case
Starting a YouTube channel and initial suspicions
Franke started her parenting YouTube channel '8 Passengers' with now ex-husband Kevin, amassing over 2.5 million subscribers before it was deleted in 2023 following the arrest.
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Several subscribers became suspicious of child abuse, with a petition being signed for the police to investigate the family, citing the numerous questionable uploaded videos.
Franke joins ConneXions with Jodi Hildebrandt
The mum told critics in a 2021 interview for The Wrap that she was showing everyone 'what a responsible mother looks like'.
She stopped uploading videos to the channel in 2022, joining Mormon therapist Hildebrandt's ConneXions podcast.
Their divisive opinions drew the wrong kind of attention.
The arrest
Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on child abuse charges in August 2023.
The Santa Clara Public Safety Department were called to the Ivins neighbourhood in Utah after a neighbour was alerted by Franke's 'emaciated' 12-year-old son, who escaped to knock on their door to ask for help.
He had visible marks and wounds from duct tape put around his ankles, and asked for some food and water.
Police found his 10-year-old sister in a 'similar physical condition of malnourishment' in Hildebrandt's house.
Family members speak out
Franke's oldest daughter, Shari, wrote on Instagram on the day of the arrests: “Today has been a big day."
She continued: "Me and my family are so glad justice is being served. We've been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up."
In November, Kevin also officially filed for divorce from Franke, and called her actions to their children 'horrific and inhumane'.
Franke and Hildebrandt are charged with six counts of child abuse
Just one week after their arrests, the pair were charged with six counts of felony child abuse.
YouTube banned Franke, deleting both 8 Passengers and ConneXions channels and blocking her from the social media platform.
Franke blames the abuse on Hildebrandt
Her attorneys released a statement that said: “Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrandt had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrandt took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous," according to Fox13.
It blamed Hildebrandt solely for isolating Franke from her family completely, distorting her morality.
Franke pleads guilty
Just three days after the statement was released, Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. A court had heard how she had tried to convince her youngest children they were 'evil and possessed'.
Franke and Hildebrandt are sentenced to prison for child abuse
On 20 February 2024, Franke and Hildebrandt were convicted and given four separate prison sentences for one to 15 years, with the length of each sentence decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
During sentencing, Franke apologised to her children and said she would 'never stop crying for hurting their tender souls'.
She said: "My willingness to sacrifice all for you was masterfully manipulated into something very ugly.
"I took from you all that was soft and safe and good."
The two women will not serve more than 30 years in a Federal Penitentiary because of a Utah law about consecutive sentences.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Ruby Franke, YouTube, Crime
Anish Vij