In Utah, Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested on August 30 for alleged child abuse after her 12-year-old son snuck out of their house and showed up at the neighbor’s house covered in open wounds and asking for food and water. Ruby Franke’s YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers’ rose in popularity in 2015 after ‘family vlogging channels’ became a source of inspiration for others. Soon after their family life started to go viral, many people noticed the controversial ways of parenting that Franke openly expressed on the channel. Such as taking the kid’s rights away from eating, having friends, or going to school. Even taking away the kid’s rooms and forcing them to sleep on floors or bean bags. After further investigation, these aren’t the only ways Franke would ‘punish’ her children. The neighbor who had come across Franke’s 12-year-old had called the police, stating that he had duct tape around both ankles and sores around them, clearly indicating that Franke had done much worse than before. He was then taken to the hospital suffering from malnourishment and “deep lacerations from being tied up with rope,” according to arrest records. 

Ruby Franke is the definition of an authoritarian parent, she feels the need to control her children’s lives for personal reasons. This type of behavior is not good for any growing child. Because her viewer ratings went up, this encouraged Franke to continue her abusive ways, and even give tips to other parents on how to parent. Meanwhile, her 6 children suffer behind the camera. After a few years, Franke and her husband split up, causing the YouTube channel to decrease in popularity and it was soon deleted. 

As of today, Ruby Franke has been charged with 6 counts of child abuse. She tearfully apologized to her children after pleading guilty to all accusations of child abuse. And saying “I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong.” Her eldest daughter wrote on Instagram “Justice is served,” and that Franke’s arrest “needed to happen.” All children are now safe and have a “long road ahead” for recovery. Be aware of your child’s needs, respect their privacy, and let them experience life in their own ways because that is the only way children will ever be able to find out who they are and who they want to be.