Lawyers for YouTuber Ruby Franke say the Utah mom facing criminal allegations of child abuse was taken advantage of by her business partner and now wants to make amends, Fox 13 reports.
On Friday, a law firm representing Franke issued a statement announcing that she is expected to enter a plea deal next week to resolve the child abuse charges.
The move comes after Franke and business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested in August when one of Hildebrandt’s neighbors called police to report that a child had come to them asking for food and water, and that the child had duct tape on their wrists and ankles.
Officers determined that the child belonged to Franke and had escaped Hildebrandt’s home. Inside, police found another one of Franke’s children in an emaciated condition.
As CrimeOnline reported previously, the two kids were staying with Hildebrandt, but investigators allege that Franke was aware of the abuse because she had just filmed YouTube content in Hildebrandt’s basement days earlier. The abuse also allegedly included dressing children’s wounds with honey and cayenne pepper, according to ABC4.
Prosecutors subsequently charged Franke and Hildebrandt with six counts of aggravated child abuse.
In Friday’s statement, Franke’s law firm alleged that Hildebrandt exploited Franke. These claims have not been substantiated.
“Initially, Ms. Franke believed that Jodi Hildebrandt had the insight to offer a path to continual improvement. Ms. Hildebrandt took advantage of this quest and twisted it into something heinous,” the written statement reads, according to KUTV.
Franke’s attorneys further alleged that Hildebrandt “systematically isolated Ruby Franke from her extended family, older children, and her husband, Kevin Franke. This prolonged isolation resulted in Ms. Franke being subjected to a distorted sense of morality, shaped by Ms. Hildebrandt’s influence.”
The statement said that while Franke has been in jail for months, she has “engaged in introspection” and now appreciates “the full weight of her actions.”
“Demonstrating a sincere dedication to personal growth and rehabilitation, she has actively begun the process by reaching out to members of her family,” the statement continued, according to KUTV. “Through heartfelt apologies, she seeks to mend relationships and contribute positively to the healing journey of her family.”
Franke’s husband, Kevin Franke, filed for divorce earlier this month.
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[Feature Photo: Rube Franke and kids/Instagram]
