The family of “8 Passengers” YouTuber Ruby Franke is speaking out after she was arrested on child abuse charges in Utah on Wednesday.
Franke’s malnourished 12-year-old child reportedly fled from the home of Franke’s business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, 54, to ask a neighbor for food and water. According to the New York Post, Franke’s three sisters took to social media to explain that they did not publicly speak out about their sister for years for the “sake of” her children.
According to reports, the 12-year-old child had duct tape around their wrists and arms. After the neighbor called the police, a 10-year-old girl at Hildebrandt’s home was also deemed malnourished by medical professionals.
Hildebrandt directly cared for the children, but police suspect Franke was aware of the abuse as she filmed a YouTube video in Hildebrandt’s basement two days before Wednesday’s incident.
“Ruby was arrested which needed to happen. [Her business partner] Jodi [Hildebrandt] was arrested which needed to happen. The kids are now safe, which is the number one priority,” Franke’s sister, Ellie Mecham, said in an Instagram post.
Page Six reported that Franke’s four children are in the state’s care. She remains jailed without bail.
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[Featured image: Ruby Franke/YouTube]
