Mommy-Blog-Influencer’s Children Starving, Open Wounds, Duct-Taped

A 12-year-old boy climbs out of a window in a home, running to neighbors begging for food and water.

The boy is the son of Ruby Franke, a popular blogger, known for the YouTube channel "8 Passengers." The home belonged to Franke's business partner Jodi Hildebrandt.

Neighbors called police. Officers said the boy looked emaciated and malnourished. Cops also noted that the boy had “deep lacerations from being tied up with rope” and duct tape around his wrists and ankles.. After searching Hildebrandt’s home, police found Franke’s 10-year-old daughter in a similar condition. Both children were taken to a hospital.

Franke's parenting channel "8 Passengers," which at one time boasted over 2 million followers, doled out parenting advice, and in her video, she admits to withholding food as a form of punishment.

Both women have been charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse.

Joining Nancy Grace Today:

• Donna Kelly – Former Utah Senior Deputy District Attorney and Attorney for Crime Victims Legal Clinic; Helped form the Utah County Sex Crimes Task Force
• Dr. Dana Anderson – Forensic Psychologist and consultant, court appointed expert witness, Twitter: @psychologydrcom, TikTok: @psychologydr
• Jason Jensen – Private Investigator (Jensen Private Investigations), Cold Case Expert (Salt Lake City, UT), and Co-founder: “Cold Case Coalition;” Investigations; Twitter: @JasonJPI, Facebook/Instagram: “Jensen Investigations”
• Dr. Free N. Hess – Pediatrician/Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Child Safety Expert & Consultant, Founder of www.PediMom.com
• Emily Ashcraft- Reporter for KSL.com in Utah; Twitter: @emilyjaneen3

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.