TRUE CRIMEYouTuber Ruby Franke's Son Joked About His Mother Going to Prison on TikTok Days Before She Was Sentenced
The son of disgraced YouTuber Ruby Franke, who was sentenced to up to 60 years in prison on multiple felony child abuse charges, joked about the ordeal in a TikTok video.
Ruby Franke was found guilty of multiple felony child abuse charges.
Three days before Franke's sentencing, Chad Franke, one of Franke's six children, shared the video of him and his girlfriend with a caption that read, "You'd love my mom!"
In response, Chad is seen smiling and dancing as his caption reads, "My mom’s in prison."
Ruby Franke's son jokes about his mom going to prison in TikTok.
Franke's son and daughter, Chad and Shari, were both present at Utah's 5th District as their mother tearfully apologized for the abuse inflicted on them in what prosecutors described as a "concentration camp-like setting."
The 42-year-old influencer, who had millions of subscribers on YouTube, was arrested alongside her partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, in August 2023 following a harrowing escape by one of Franke's sons who sought help from a neighbor.
The child, malnourished and with signs of abuse, explained they had been subjected to inhumane treatment involving being tied with ropes and having cayenne pepper and honey applied to their wounds.
Franke and Hildebrandt were both sentenced to 60 years in prison.
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In December, both Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse, resulting in a maximum sentence of up to 60 years in prison, though they will only serve a maximum of 30 years per Utah state law.
The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine the actual time to be served based on their behavior during incarceration.
Franke's channel has since been deleted.
The plea agreement revealed shocking details of the abuse, including forcing the children to work outdoors in extreme heat without sufficient water until they suffered blisters. Franke even admitted to physical assaults, such as kicking her son with boots and causing oxygen deprivation by covering his mouth and nose.
The agreement also described how ropes were tied to handcuffs that injured the children's wrists and ankles.
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Franke gave a tearful statement made in court just before she was sentenced.
“I was led to believe the world was an evil place,” Franke told the court. “For the past four years, I have chosen to follow counsel and guidance that have led me to a dark delusion.”
The convicted mother also issued an apology to her children for the years of abuse they suffered and said she was willing to serve her time.
“To my babies, my six little chicks. You are part of me,” the disgraced Youtuber said. “I was the mama duck who was consistently waddling you to safety. I can see now that over the past four years, I was in a deep undercurrent that led us to danger.”
