For the first time, Kevin Franke and his son Chad Franke, 20, are breaking their silence on the shocking child abuse scandal surrounding Ruby Franke and her controversial therapist, Jodi Hildebrandt. Kevin and Chad open up about the dark reality behind their once-popular YouTube channel, 8 Passengers, and how their lives were shattered by manipulation, abuse, and extreme parenting tactics.
At the peak of their fame, the Franke family had 2.5 million subscribers and earned $100,000 per month, but behind the scenes, a disturbing truth was unfolding. Ruby Franke’s extreme discipline methods—promoted by Hildebrandt—led to the eventual arrest and conviction of both women for felony child abuse, resulting in prison sentences of up to 30 years each in 2024.
Kevin Franke, who admits to feelings of guilt and regret, says much of the physical abuse was kept from him—especially during the year Ruby forced him to live apart from the family. He is now estranged from Ruby and filed for divorce in November 2023.
The family is telling their side of the story and reflecting on how they are rebuilding their lives after the horrific abuse that left them deeply traumatized. “I really hope [my mom] becomes a better person and truly tries to change,”says Chad, who currently has no contact with his mother. Watch the new Hulu docuseries, 'Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke', streaming February 27, for more on this story.
* If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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Ruby Franke’s Estranged Husband and Son Break Their Silence on Her Child Abuse Vlogging Scandal
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