Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing
Here are five of the most shocking revelations in new series Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, which documents the fall and eventual imprisonment of the former YouTuber.
Mother-of-six Ruby Franke built her platform as a family vlogger on YouTube, called 8 Passengers, with videos sharing updates on her family life gaining millions of views from curious subscribers.
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However, behind the popular facade lay a much sinister truth, with Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt being arrested and convicted of four counts of aggravated child abuse in 2023. They are both set to remain in prison for up to 30 years.
Watch the trailer for Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke below:
Following the three-part series, which is now available to stream on Hulu and Disney+, here are some of the most shocking revelations.
Kevin Franke was 'uncomfortable' appearing in YouTube videos
At the height of its popularity, 8 Passengers had 2.5 million subscribers tuning in to watch the Franke's day-to-day lives. On camera, the family all appeared to be completely onboard with the project. However, this wasn't the case behind the scenes.
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Franke's ex-husband Kevin revealed that he was uncomfortable being constantly filmed. "When I came in the door, wherever Ruby was, the camera was," he said. "All of a sudden it wasn’t enough to just interact with her. I had to interact with the camera."
He continued: "She wanted me to be the perfect husband. The even-keeled, but strong patriarch of the family. But I wasn’t."
Ruby kicked her husband and two of their children out of the house
After Hildebrandt began working closely with the family, the dynamics in the Franke household would begin to change even further. In 2022, Ruby and Kevin would announce their separation and he would move out of the house, leaving the six children with her and Hildebrandt.
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Recalling the moment he was asked to leave the family home, Kevin said he was instructed to leave 'immediately' and not have any contact with his estranged wife or their children.
The couple's son Chad was also asked to leave the home at the age of 17 after admitting to watching pornography and, which Franke said was the cause of Hildebrandt's 'satanic attacks'.
"I was 17 at this time. I really thought I was messing with the house and the spirit in the house," he recalled.
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Chad and Kevin weren't the only targets, with eldest child Shari also being disowned by her mother while away studying at university. Shari explained in the documentary that she received a long text from her mother accusing her of 'causing chaos for everyone' and that her health and car insurance would be terminated.
When she drove home to confront her mother about the message, Shari was told 'not to talk to the kids and that I’m no longer part of the family'.
Chad's true feelings towards his mother
The two eldest Franke children, Shari, 22, and Chad, 20, have since spoken out about their experiences growing up in front of the camera and having their lives broadcasted online, with the siblings both revealing how it made them uncomfortable.
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During the series Chad opened up about how he'd even 'hated' his mother at one point because of YouTube.
"It bugged the crap out of me. I hated it," he said. "There was a time, maybe a year or more, where I truly hated [my mom]."
What did police find at Hildebrandt’s home?
Franke's abuse of the children came to light after her 12-year-old son escaped out of a window at Hildebrandt's home and sought refuge at a neighbour's house.
When police searched the house, they were shocked to find objects such as rope, handcuffs, and duct tape, which had been used against the children.
Ruby accused the kids of 'lying' about the abuse
After the abuse was exposed, Franke attempted to accuse the children of lying to the police, even going as far as to call them 'demonically possessed' while on the phone to Kevin.
Recalling what Ruby told him during the phone call, Kevin said: "She said, 'I can only imagine the lies he’s telling the police right now. You need to go pick up our children from the police station. This is your chance to redeem yourself'."
Where can I watch Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke?
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is available to watch on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK.
Topics: Crime, Ruby Franke, YouTube, Documentaries, US News, Social Media
Brenna Cooper