Shocking Revelations: Daughter Exposes Abuse in ‘8 Passengers’ Memoir

Ruby Franke, once a popular blonde Mormon mommy vlogger on YouTube, hid a dark reality from her millions of followers. While she portrayed a charming life online, she was inflicting severe abuse on her six children through harsh disciplinary actions.

Shari Franke, Ruby’s 21-year-old daughter, reveals in her new memoir, “The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom” (Gallery Books; Jan. 7), the extent of the mistreatment which included physical assaults, starvation, and being restrained with duct tape. Ruby was eventually arrested and pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.

“She deliberately chose to harm those she was supposed to safeguard,” Shari stated in her book.

YouTube Fame with a Hidden Agenda

Ruby launched her YouTube channel “8 Passengers” in 2015, showcasing their family life in Springville, Utah, located about 50 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. The channel quickly gained popularity, amassing 2.5 million subscribers and over a billion views. Ruby’s videos featured lighthearted family moments like morning routines, getting braces, grocery shopping, and vacation activities.

As an early adopter of the mommy vlogging trend, Ruby excelled in making her viewers feel like part of the Franke family, constantly sharing spontaneous videos of her children’s everyday lives while presenting herself as the quintessential stay-at-home mom.

However, for Shari, who was just entering her teens when the channel began, the experience of having her adolescence broadcasted was traumatic.

At age 13, a video shoot went wrong when Ruby accidentally waxed off half of Shari’s eyebrow. Despite her daughter’s distress, Ruby posted the video, even using a screenshot of Shari crying as the video thumbnail.

“Our lives were consumed by relentless filming, ready or not. Every moment was captured, which is overwhelming enough during puberty without a global audience,” Shari explained in her memoir.

Yet, the public embarrassments paled in comparison to what was happening off-camera.

Severe Discipline and Abuse

Starting when Shari was 11, Ruby began implementing disciplinary methods inspired by military practices. “The punishments became more severe and dramatic, designed to make us deeply feel our mistakes,” Shari detailed.

For instance, when her brother Chad, then about 9, failed to put away his laundry, he was forced to run laps around the block. Another time he neglected to clear the table, both he and Shari had to do pushups.

Physical abuse was a regular occurrence, with Shari remembering being hit from as young as nine. “Ruby’s slaps were precise, calculated to instill fear but not leave marks, shaping us into obedient figures,” she wrote.

After Shari went off to Brigham Young University in 2021, the situation at home deteriorated further. Suspicious of the harsh disciplinary actions shown on Ruby’s videos, the family’s loyal viewers began to raise concerns.

Ruby’s videos depicting her punishing her children by denying them food, sending them to wilderness camps, and making them sleep on bean bags instead of their beds for extended periods led to public outcry and calls for investigations.

The Collapse of a YouTube Empire

In September 2023, the situation reached a tipping point when Shari’s then-12-year-old brother Russell escaped their home and sought help from a neighbor due to hunger. The police were alerted after the neighbor noticed injuries and duct tape marks on him.

Shari’s sister, Eve, was discovered to be undernourished, leading to Ruby’s arrest on charges of child abuse.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Ruby did not see herself as an abuser. “She viewed herself as a martyr, persecuted for her strict parenting,” Shari wrote.

Ruby was sentenced to up to 60 years in prison in February 2024 and is currently incarcerated at the Utah State Correctional Facility. Jodi Hildebrant, a life coach hired by Ruby, was also found guilty of child abuse and sentenced to up to 30 years.

Shari’s father, Kevin, although not criminally charged, is criticized by Shari for his lack of support. His presence in the family’s YouTube videos decreased over time, and he filed for divorce from Ruby in November 2023. He has also sought custody of his four younger children, currently in state care.

Chad, now 19, is pursuing a career in real estate, as per his social media updates. Shari continues her studies in comparative politics at BYU and is planning her wedding.

Recently on Instagram, Shari announced she would be stepping back from public life following her memoir release and her upcoming wedding. “I’m reclaiming my personal life and privacy. I won’t publicize my wedding, future spouse, or children… It’s time for me to move forward,” she shared alongside an image of her engagement ring.