Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.

The eldest daughter of Ruby Franke, a YouTubing mother who was sent to prison for child abuse, has spoken out.

Franke had set up the parenting YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers’ with her husband Kevin and gained a large number of subscribers, though some of them became suspicious of abuse.

Her channel stopped getting new videos in 2022 as she instead joined the ConneXions podcast with Mormon therapist Jodi Hildebrandt.

The pair were arrested in August 2023 after one of Ruby’s sons fled from Hildebrandt’s house in Utah and started knocking on doors for help.

According to police, the 12-year-old boy had lacerations on his body and duct tape around his wrists and ankles, and an investigation found other children suffering in similar conditions.

Ruby Franke pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child abuse (YouTube/Law&Crime Network)

After being arrested Franke confessed to holding her son’s head underwater, covering his mouth and nose with her hands and kicking him while wearing boots.

She also said she’d forced her young son to work outside in scorching conditions without sunscreen and with little food or water.

Hildebrandt said she was complicit in the abuse Franke’s children suffered, and that she forced Franke’s youngest daughter to ‘jump into a cactus multiple times’ and walk barefoot on dirt roads until her feet broke out into blisters.

Speaking to ABC, Franke’s oldest daughter Shari spoke out about being the daughter of the convicted child abuser.

“Sometimes I’ll, see myself in the mirror and I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I look like her,’ or ‘I sound like her,’ but I don’t wanna be anything like her,” Shari told Good Morning America as she spoke about her book The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom which goes into detail about allegations of abuse.

“When I was younger, around, like, five-six, Ruby was really physical.

“Whether it was like a slap to the lip or– a slap to the cheek… when I would practice the piano, her hand would slam and it was really scary.”

Shari said that after Hildebrandt moved in the abuse became more psychological than physical, and she found it ‘strange’ that she had moved into their home.

Shari Franke spoke about her new book which goes into detail about allegations of abuse (ABC News)

Shari said she had contacted the authorities about her mother several times before Franke was arrested, and says she thinks her mother cannot ‘fully comprehend the guilt’ of what she admitted to in court.

She said: “I think that she’s as sorry as she can be.

“What she has done is so bad that I don’t think her mind allows her to kind of fully comprehend the guilt of all that. And so I think that she probably genuinely believed everything she said. I don’t believe it though.

“Forgiveness is something I’ve had to study a lot and kind of think about what it means.

“But for me, forgiveness would look like not letting that consume every moment of my life and all of my thoughts. I am just trying to move on with my life and trust that things are gonna work out the way they’re supposed to.”

Shari’s focus now is on building relationships with her siblings and her father, who moved out shortly after Hildebrandt moved into the family home.

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.

Several subscribers became suspicious of child abuse, with a petition being signed for the police to investigate the family, citing the numerous questionable videos uploaded.

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 on subjects such as eating disorders, blaming rape victims and criticising immigrants 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.

Additional words by Anish Vij.

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.

New footage has been released showing the moment parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke was arrested on child abuse charges.

The mother of six, 42, was handed the maximum prison sentence last month after she pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse.

Franke was known for her YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers’ where she vlogged her family life and shared parenting tips with her millions of followers.

However, Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were arrested last August at Hildebrandt’s house in Utah, after Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window and knocked on a neighbours door for help, pleading for food and water.

Police say he was emaciated, covered in wounds and had duct tape around his wrists and ankles.

Upon entering Hildebrandt’s property, police found another child who also appeared thin and in similar condition.

Washington State Attorney’s Office

Describing the ordeal the children went through, state prosecuting attorney Eric Clarke branded the environment they lived in as ‘a concentration camp-like setting’.

As part of her plea deal, Franke admitted to holding her son’s head underwater, covering his nose and mouth with her hands and kicking him while wearing boots.

Speaking at her sentencing hearing, she told the court she has ’caused people to suffer’ and ‘betrayed sacred trust’.

Washington State Attorney’s Office

Addressing her children directly, she said: “To my babies; my six little chicks — you are a part of me. I will never stop crying for hurting your tender souls.

“You are so precious to me, I’m sorry. My choice to live in fear of the world has created a great vulnerability and a blind spot for me — where I have broken hearts, and I’ve caused people to suffer and I have betrayed sacred trust.”

A month on from her sentencing – in which she was handed four separate prison sentences of one to 15 years – new footage has been released of Franke’s initial arrest.

The previously unseen bodycam footage shows police in the Utah property as they handcuff Franke and take her outside into the police car.

Franke doesn’t say a word, only gesturing by shaking her head when asked if she has anything on her such as a weapon and occasionally nodding in response to some of the search questions.

YouTube/ConneXions Classroom

It’s similar to the first police interview which was also released, where again, Franke sits in silence, only speaking to say she’ll talk with her lawyer.

Franke and her husband Kevin launched the ‘8 Passengers’ channel back in 2015.

However, in 2022 the channel ended up being closed down as Franke began working with Hildebrandt’s counselling company, ConneXions Classroom, offering parenting seminars, while launching another YouTube channel.

While Franke was handed the maximum sentence for the charges, she will not serve more than 30 years in the Federal Penitentiary because of a Utah law about consecutive sentences.

Full timeline of the Ruby Franke case:

Starting a YouTube channel and initial suspicions

Franke started her parenting YouTube channel ‘8Passengers’ with now ex-husband, Kevin, amassing over 2.5 million subscribers before it was deleted in 2023 following the arrest.

Several subscribers became suspicious of child abuse, with a petition being signed for the police to investigate the family, citing the numerous questionable videos uploaded.

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 on subjects such as eating disorders, blaming rape victims and criticising immigrants 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.”

The 20-year-old 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.

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 8Passengers and ConneXions channels and banning 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.

Franke and Hildebrandt are sentenced to prison for child abuse

On 20 February 2024, Franke was convicted and given four separate prison sentences of one to 15 years, with the length of each sentence decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

Franke will not serve more than 30 years in the Federal Penitentiary because of a Utah law about consecutive sentences.

Hildebrandt received the same sentence and how long she spends in prison will also be decided by the parole board.

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.

A prison officer who was filmed having sex with an inmate has been jailed for 15 months.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, from Fulham, south-west London, was on duty at HMP Wandsworth when she entered the prisoner’s cell and had sex with him on 27 June.

She was subsequently charged after a video of the incident was shared on social media.

Linda De Sousa Abreu has been jailed for 15 months after having sex with an inmate (PA)

A police investigation was then launched after officers were made aware of the video.

Prosecutors said that the married mother, who has an OnlyFans account of her own, willingly took part in the video with a felon who’s spending time behind bars for an $82,000 (£63,800) luxury goods heist in Kensington, London.

De Sousa Abreu – who was arrested and pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office in July last year – appeared Isleworth Crown Court on Monday (6 January), where she was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Misconduct in public office (MiPO) is a common law offence that can only be tried on indictment, according to UK law.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, from Fulham, south-west London, was on duty at the time of the incident (PA)

The charge says that De Sousa Abreu ‘wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by engaging in a sexual act with a prisoner in a prison cell’.

Sentencing, Judge Martin Edmunds KC said: “It will impact on the reputation of the prison service and, with that, the prospects of recruiting and retaining staff.

“It causes anxiety among those close to vulnerable prisoners who worry more about the environment in which prisoners are held. That recording is still out there and will doubtless circulate indefinitely.

She was charged after a video of the incident was shared on social media (PA)

“You are not responsible for the wider problems of prisons, but you have added to them. The level of harm is high, indeed very high.”

Governor of HMP Wandsworth, Andrew Davy, told the court that female workers are going home ‘only to be met by children who are being teased by others at school because their mothers work at HMP Wandsworth’.

He added: “It has taken many years for female staff to be accepted and treated professionally in a male-dominated environment…The activities of this defendant have undone years of work.”

Tetteh Turkson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said last year: “This was a shocking breach of the public’s trust.

“De Sousa was clearly an enthusiastic participant who wrongly thought she would avoid responsibility.

“The CPS recognises there is no excuse for any prison officer who conducts themselves in such a manner, and we will never hesitate to prosecute those who abuse their position of power.

“After working closely with the Metropolitan Police to build the strongest possible case, De Sousa had no option but accept she was guilty. She will now rightly face the consequences of her actions.”

Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.

A mother is alleged to have made a series of chilling internet searches in the days leading up to her infant son’s death, according to prosecutors.

Authorities have accused Savawna Bowen, 23, of waiting too long to seek medical attention for her four-month-old, who passed away on 11 January last year.

The mum-of-two, from Oklahoma, was arrested last Friday (3 January) on one count of felony child neglect, almost exactly 12 months after the little boy’s death.

The baby’s father, Daquan White, was also charged with the murder and child neglect shortly after the tot was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police said he died after sustaining a broken jaw, broken ribs, a broken femur and a severe brain injury, according to Law and Crime.

Savawna Bowen allegedly made several internet searches before seeking medical attention for the child (Tulsa County Jail)

Doctors said the four-month-old could have survived if medical help had been sought by Bowen earlier, according to police in the city of Tulsa, The Daily Mail reports.

According to an affidavit obtained by News on 6, the mum had left her two children – the four-month-old boy and a two-year-old – in the care of White in early January 2023.

Bowen is said to have gone to stay with her boyfriend before returning to the home and raising concerns with the 23-year-old dad about a red spot on their baby’s leg.

White is alleged to have then told her that he heard a ‘popping’ sound when he lifted the boy’s leg.

It is then claimed that Bowen left the two youngsters in the care of White for another eight hours, as she headed out to spend time with her friends.

After eventually returning to the property, she noticed that the four-month-old was crying in pain.

White then allegedly admitted that he had put his fingers inside the infant’s mouth and pushed down in a bid to stop the baby from crying, authorities say.

The young child later had a seizure.

Prosecutors say Daquan White, 23, urged the mum to wait to take the baby to hospital and to lie about his injuries (Tulsa County Jail)

White is alleged to have pleaded with Bowen to wait to take the baby to hospital and to lie about the injury on their leg, the affidavit states.

It explains that on 3 January, 2024, the mum allegedly made an online search for the term ‘popped leg’, and the following day, prosecutors claim that Bowen then searched ‘baby’s femur is sticking out’.

The mum is then accused of making other searches including ‘baby not able to move mouth’ and ‘mouth swollen’ on 7 January last year.

Bowen finally took the baby to hospital on 8 January, 2024, where doctors reported finding a slew of horrific injuries on the little boy.

White was arrested for an outstanding warrant the next day before confessing that he had ‘committed dangerous acts’ on the baby ‘in an effort to get him to be quiet’, police said.

Almost exactly a year later, Bowen was arrested with one count of felony child neglect.

She was taken into custody at the Tulsa County Jail before posting a $10,000 bond, according to reports.

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.