Okay true crime fans you have to check out this new documentary. Hulu just dropped "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke " and it is intense. If you followed the whole Ruby Franke "8 Passengers" story online this docuseries takes you way deeper than any YouTube comments ever could. It's a wild and honestly heartbreaking ride into what really went on behind that seemingly perfect family vlog.
From YouTube Fame to Shocking Arrest: 'Devil in the Family' Uncovers the Ruby Franke Story
Remember "8 Passengers"? Ruby and Kevin Franke started this family YouTube channel back in 2015 and it blew up. Millions of people tuned in to watch their daily life with their six kids. They were Mormon they seemed wholesome they were making serious money like over $100000 a month at its peak. It looked like the dream life right?
But then things started getting weird. Viewers picked up on some seriously strict parenting methods. Kids getting punishments that just did not sit right like taking away meals or forcing a kid to sleep on a beanbag for months. People got concerned and for good reason as it turns out.
The Counselor and the Chaos: Jodi Hildebrandt's Sinister Influence on the Franke Family
Enter Jodi Hildebrandt. She was a counselor who came into the Franke family to help with one of their kids Chad. But her influence quickly spread and things took a really dark turn. Hildebrandt ran this counseling business called ConneXions and her beliefs were... intense. She thought demons were messing with the Franke family and her methods were extreme to say the least.
Ruby got super tight with Hildebrandt started training with ConneXions and even launched a joint Instagram account with her called "Moms of Truth." Meanwhile Kevin Franke Ruby's husband says in the documentary that the kids started saying they were "losing their light" because of the vlogging. Eventually Kevin says he was basically "invited to leave the house" and even cut off contact with his own kids.
Shari Franke Ruby's oldest daughter was one of the first to raise alarms. She did her own digging on Hildebrandt and found out the counselor had actually lost her therapy license and had complaints against her. But when Shari tried to warn her mom Ruby just brushed it off. It's a classic story of someone getting sucked into a really unhealthy situation and pulling others down with them.
Escape from Hell: How Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Were Finally Caught
Shari was seriously worried about her younger siblings. She even called child services at one point but nothing really happened after a welfare check. It was not until August 2023 that the whole thing blew wide open. Ruby's 12-year-old son bravely escaped from Jodi Hildebrandt's house. He climbed out a window and ran to a neighbor begging for help and water.
The neighbor was horrified. She described the boy as "emaciated" with tape around his legs and called 911. Police arrived and found another of Ruby's kids in equally bad shape. The details that came out in court are just brutal. Ruby admitted to starving and torturing her two youngest kids telling them they were "evil and possessed" denying them food and water tying them up and even holding her son's head underwater. It's truly sickening stuff.
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse . They both got sentenced to four to 30 years in prison which in Utah means it's capped at 30 years max. Finally justice was served for those poor kids.
Family Speaks Out: Shari and Kevin Franke Share Their Pain and Perspectives
"Devil in the Family" is a big deal because it is the first time Ruby's oldest kids Shari and Chad and her husband Kevin are really talking about what happened on camera. Kevin says he wanted to tell his story in his own words because he felt "silenced" and misunderstood. Shari is also featured heavily and her feelings are intense.
Shari Franke has made it clear she is not ready to forgive her mother anytime soon. In the documentary she says she has seen "too many crocodile tears" from Ruby and cannot tell if her apologies are real. Shari even released a memoir "The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom" where she goes deeper into the abuse and her journey to heal. She told People Magazine that forgiveness for her means not letting Ruby's actions control her life anymore even though she is still angry and that anger is "never going to go away."
Kevin Franke has also filed for divorce from Ruby and requested she not contact him from prison. He admits he is still "very angry" and listening to Ruby's court testimony felt like "getting stabbed." He also expressed regret for putting his kids on YouTube in the first place saying it was "wrong" and he regrets it "every day."
How to Watch 'Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke' and See the Full Story
If you want to really understand the Ruby Franke case "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke" is a must-watch. It is a three-part docuseries streaming exclusively on Hulu.
Want to watch it for free? Hulu offers a 30-day free trial for new subscribers. That is plenty of time to binge the whole series and see what all the buzz is about. After the free trial Hulu plans start at $9.99 a month.
You can also bundle Hulu with Disney+ or ESPN+ for even more streaming options if you are a cord-cutter.
'Devil in the Family': Key Takeaways From the Ruby Franke Documentary
- Exclusive Family Access: Features first-hand accounts from Kevin Shari and Chad Franke.
- Behind the "8 Passengers" Facade: Reveals the disturbing reality behind the seemingly perfect YouTube family vlog.
- Jodi Hildebrandt's Influence: Explores the counselor's role in the abuse and her control over Ruby Franke.
- Harrowing Details of Abuse: Uncovers shocking details of starvation torture and manipulation inflicted on Ruby's children.
- Shari Franke's Perspective: Shares the eldest daughter's journey to expose the abuse and her feelings about forgiveness.
- Kevin Franke's Regret: Features Kevin's perspective on the events his divorce and his remorse about family vlogging.
- Hulu Exclusive: "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke" is streaming only on Hulu with free trial options available.