A Utah judge said on Monday that she is considering making private a child custody case involving YouTuber Ruby Franke’s four children — who were placed in the state’s care following her arrest last month for child abuse.
Juvenile court Judge Suchada P. Bazzelle heard arguments from attorney Virginia Blanchard about whether the public should be restricted from these child custody hearings. Blanchard said allowing the public to know “sensitive information” about Franke’s children was “contrary to their best interest,” according to The Salt Lake City Tribune.
Franke appeared in court virtually as she remains jailed. The Salt Lake City Tribune reported that Franke’s estranged husband and their 20-year-old daughter were at Monday’s hearing.
During a hearing last month, Franke said that one of her underage children molested a sibling, several family members, and children in the neighborhood. She claimed her child confessed in May to sexually abusing 20 kids. She also stated that one of her children started watching porn at three years old.
On August 30, Franke’s 12-year-old son reportedly went to a neighbor’s home to ask for food and water. That neighbor called police, leading cops to Jodi Hildebrandt’s home where they located a 10-year-old child who was reportedly also malnourished. Hildebrandt is Franke’s business partner who was also criminally charged.
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. Reports indicated that gauze was found in her home.
Franke’s four children were placed in the state’s care following last month’s incident. She and Hildebrandt remain jailed without bond.
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[Featured image: Instagram]
