Police released a distressing 911 call this week, leading to the arrests of YouTube mom Ruby Franke and her business partner after a neighbor reportedly helped her 12-year-old son.
According to ABC News, a neighbor called 911 on August 30 after the “emaciated” boy arrived at his doorstep with open wounds and duct tape on his extremities after escaping from Jodi Hildebrandt’s Ivins, Utah, home. Police identified Hildebrandt as Franke’s business partner.
“I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door asking for help and he said he just came from a neighbor’s house and you know, there’s been problems at this neighbor’s house,” the neighbor told the dispatcher.
“He’s emaciated, he’s got tape around his legs, he’s hungry and he’s thirsty.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Franke, 41, the vlogger behind “8 Passengers,” and Hildebrandt, 54, were both arrested for aggravated child abuse after the victim climbed out of a window and sought help from the neighbor.
“He has duct tape around each ankle, with sores around them,” the neighbor continued. “I think there’s a good chance he’s been – Oh he has them around his wrists as well – oh, so this boy has been, he needs, this kid has obviously been, I think he’s been, he’s been detained, he’s obviously covered in wounds.”
Officers went to Hildebrandt’s home encountered another child, a 10-year-old girl, who was taken for treatment and 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 the incident.
Franke reportedly did not speak to cops and requested a lawyer. Hildebrand commented that the children should “never be around any other kids” — further leading police to believe she was aware of the abuse.
“So she may come looking for him here soon but he’s not doing obviously, we need the cops here as soon as possible,” the neighbor continued, referring to Hildebrandt. “She’s a bad lady. We didn’t realize how bad.”
According to The St. Louis Tribune, Franke’s two children were staying with Hildebrandt at the time. 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.
Hildebrand allegedly commented that the children should “never be around any other kids” — further leading police to believe she was aware of the abuse. The St. Louis Tribune reports that gauze was found in her home.
According to a press release from the Washington County Attorney’s Office, “each defendant is accused of causing or permitting serious physical injury to the victims in three different ways: (1) a combination of multiple physical injuries or torture, (2) starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life, and (3) causing severe emotional harm.”
Franke’s four children were placed in the state’s care following last month’s incident. Both Ruby and Hildebrandt remain jailed without bond.
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[Feature Photo: Franke Rube & children/Instagram]
Additional reporting by Jacquelyn Gray
