Ruby Franke, a popular mommy vlogger with millions of YouTube subscribers, has been sentenced to prison for horrifically abusing her own children. The mother of six received four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years each for pleading guilty to aggravated child abuse of two of her kids.
Franke admitted to subjecting her two youngest children to a campaign of abuse, convincing them they were "evil" and needed punishment. Her son was forced to work outside in extreme heat until he blistered from sunburn, while both children were denied food and water or given very plain meals.
The abuse came to light when one of Franke's sons escaped to a neighbor's house with duct tape around his ankles and wrists, emaciated and covered in wounds. Both he and his sister were hospitalized, and all four youngest children were taken into state custody.
Despite pleading guilty, Franke expressed remorse, stating, "I was led to believe this world was an evil place filled with church leaders that lie and molest… and children who need abuse." She apologized for distorting religious doctrines and expressed a desire to unravel her beliefs during her prison sentence.
Franke's former business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, was also sentenced to prison for her involvement in the abuse. Hildebrandt, who claimed to love the children, received the same sentence as Franke.
The Franke family had faced criticism online for their video blog, which showed controversial parenting decisions. This included banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months and threatening to cut the head off a young girl's stuffed toy as punishment. Despite the channel's popularity, it ended after seven years following the arrests.
Franke's husband, Kevin Franke, who filed for divorce, issued a statement condemning the abuse and expressing his focus on rehabilitating the children. He described the treatment they received as "horrific and inhumane, both physically and psychologically."
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