A documentary titled "The Devil In The Family: The Fall Of Ruby Franke" details the disturbing trajectory of a popular YouTube family whose curated online persona unraveled to reveal severe child abuse. Ruby Franke, a mother of six and a prominent figure in the Mormon community of Springville, Utah, gained a massive following on her "8 Passengers" YouTube channel, which at its peak attracted 2.5 million subscribers and over a billion video views.
Beginning in 2015, Franke began filming her family, presenting a seemingly idyllic life characterized by wholesome activities and church attendance. However, as her older children, Chad and Shari, entered their teenage years, the strain of constant public performance became evident. Chad, in particular, began to rebel against the strict regime imposed by his mother.
Franke's response to her children's defiance reportedly involved enlisting the help of therapist Jodi Hildebrandt. Together, they implemented a severe disciplinary approach. Chad was allegedly threatened with military boot camp for the remainder of his adolescence and was confined to the basement for seven months, sleeping on a beanbag.
The family's carefully constructed image began to crumble when Franke inadvertently revealed details of her harsh treatment of her children in a video. This led to intense online backlash, marking the beginning of her downfall. The documentary draws on footage filmed by the parents, including unreleased clips that showcase anger, bitterness, violence, and controlling behavior previously hidden from the public.
The documentary highlights the role of neighbors who alerted authorities after one of Franke's children escaped through a window, malnourished and bearing scars. Chad and Shari also contributed to the narrative, recounting their experiences. Disturbingly, Ruby's husband, Kevin Franke, was interviewed, asserting he was unaware of the extent of his wife's mistreatment of their children, despite sometimes appearing to film the content. He has not been charged.
Ruby Franke was ultimately convicted of multiple counts of child abuse and is currently serving a prison sentence of up to 30 years. "The Devil In The Family" reportedly uses unreleased footage filmed by Franke and her husband, which critics note provides damning evidence of the abuse masked by her public facade.