Jodie Hildebrandt, a family counselor, was intricately involved in the abuse suffered by Ruby Franke’s children instead of being the support they needed. Ruby Franke, a vlogger, and Hildebrandt’s friendship blossomed when they met through their Mormon community. Hildebrandt, aged 56, was known for her life coaching business and influence in the Mormon church, while Franke gained popularity through family vlogs featuring her six children and husband Kevin Franke on their YouTube channel.
Starting in 2015, Franke’s relationship with Hildebrandt deepened in 2019, leading to devastating abuse against two of Franke’s youngest children. The extent of Hildebrandt’s involvement in the abuse was unveiled in the Netflix documentary “Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story” after Franke’s 12-year-old son sought help from a neighbor in August 30, 2023, displaying signs of abuse.
Franke’s youngest children were found malnourished and mistreated at Hildebrandt’s Utah mansion, triggering the arrest of Franke and Hildebrandt, exposing the horrifying reality of their actions. Franke’s parenting methods, documented in her YouTube videos, raised concerns, leading to child protective services’ intervention in 2020.
The abuse escalated from physical tasks and deprivation to severe injuries inflicted on the children. Franke’s older children were estranged from her, with the four younger siblings placed under the custody of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services following Franke’s arrest. Franke and Hildebrandt received prison sentences in February 2024 for their crimes against the children.
Reflecting on her actions in court, Franke acknowledged her distorted reality and the harm inflicted on her children. Her daughter Shari, now 22, published a memoir, while her son Chad, now 20, pursued a career in real estate and got married. The identities of the abused children remain undisclosed.