Utah momfluencer Ruby Franke accuses her own children of sexual abuse during custody hearing

YouTube mom Ruby Franke accused her children of being abusers at a court hearing to determine where the children should be sheltered while she faces six charges of felony child abuse. 

According to the Daily Mail, the 41-year-old claimed that one of her children began watching porn at three years old and that one had sexually abused a younger sibling for years, and eventually abused other family members and children in the neighborhood.

She claims that the child confessed in May to abusing 20 different people but was unable to prove any of the allegations. Based on the accusations, the judge said the child "will need to be placed in a home with no other children." 

At one moment during the hearing, an attorney in the public viewing area stood up and asked the judge to listen to the statement of one of the alleged victims' mother who was in the courtroom. The judge said the details could be brought up at a later date when she denied the request. 

Ruby Franke's husband, through his lawyer, informed the press that "He's been instructed by the court not to comment to the press. Out of respect for the children involved we have no comment."

Franke is the creator of a YouTube channel called "8 Passengers," which made her known for her strict parenting style. She was arrested on August 30 for alleged child abuse after police found two juvenile children at her home who "appeared to be emaciated and malnourished with open wounds and duct tape around extremities." 

The Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department in Washington County, Utah, said it had received a call from a dispatcher of a juvenile asking for food and water. "The conditions were so severe that they were seen by Santa Clara-Ivins EM and transported to a local area hospital," its statement read.

After she and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested, Franke's family appeared relieved. Her oldest daughter Shari, 20, said on social media, "Today has been a big day. Me and my family are so glad justice is being served."

"We've been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up. Kids are safe, but there's a long road ahead. Please keep them in your prayers and also respect their privacy," she added. 

Franke's sisters, Ellie Mecham, Bonnie Hoellein, and Julie Deru, also said they knew about her treatment of her children for three years, but "kept quiet on the subject of our sister Ruby Franke for the sake of her children." They added, "Behind the public scene we have done everything we could to try and make sure the kids were safe." 

The judge set a mediation hearing for September 15, and a pre-trial hearing for September 18.