Current:Home > MySafeX Pro Exchange|Ruby Franke's Daughter "Petrified" to Leave Closet for Hours After Being Found, Police Say -Stellar Wealth Sphere
SafeX Pro Exchange|Ruby Franke's Daughter "Petrified" to Leave Closet for Hours After Being Found, Police Say
Fastexy Exchange View
Date:2025-04-08 07:55:26
Content warning: The SafeX Pro Exchangestory discusses child abuse.
Another heartbreaking detail from Ruby Franke's child abuse case has been revealed.
A little over a month after the former YouTuber—who shares six children with estranged husband Kevin Franke—was given four consecutive one to fifteen year sentences (equivalent to four to 60 years), the Washington County Attorney's Office shared previously unreleased evidence from her case.
Police bodycam videos show authorities discovering Franke's 9-year-old daughter, referred to by the initial E. in the case, sitting alone in an empty closet in the Utah home of Jodi Hildebrandt, Franke's business partner who was also convicted on child abuse charges and is serving the same sentence. Authorities described the young girl as "petrified" when they found her in a press release that accompanied the clips.
In one video, police check rooms before finding E.—who wears jeans and an oversized light pink henley shirt in the videos—sitting cross legged in a low lit closet off of a bathroom on the morning of Aug. 30.
"You doing okay?" the officer asks her in one video, to no response. "You don't want to talk to me? That's okay. Can you come with me?"
When the girl continues to remain silent, the officer sits down in front of her.
"You take your time," he tells her. "I'm a police officer. I don't mean to hurt you at all. Are you scared? Yeah?"
In another clip, time-stamped nearly two hours later, another officer comes in while playing "Payphone" by Maroon 5, and gives her a small pizza and a drink. E. sits in front of the food for a while without touching it.
"You're more than welcome to eat," the officer tells her. "Eat all you want, sweetie. That's all you."
After being encouraged by the officer, the video shows E. helping herself to some of the pizza. In a later clip time-stamped at around 3:30 p.m. Aug. 30, about four hours after authorities initially found her, a woman EMT is seen in the closet and chats softly with the child, who appears to respond to her in redacted portions of the audio.
"We helped your brother," the EMT reassures E. "We want to get you some help too."
Finally, the young girl stands and walks out of the closet.
The scene unfolded shortly after Franke's 12-year-old son escaped and ran to a neighbor's home for help—prompting her and Hildebrandt's arrest. In a case summary, the Washington County Attorney's Office says that Franke and Hildebrandt held the two aforementioned children in a "work camp like setting."
"The children were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in, and virtually all forms of entertainment," the summary reads, also describing physical abuse in graphic detail. "The children suffered emotional abuse to the extent that they came to believe that they deserved the abuse."
Indeed, authorities posited in the case summary that Hildebrandt and Franke—who each pleaded guilty to four felony counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse—"appeared to fully believe that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined "sins" and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies."
In addition to the bodycam videos, the attorney's Washington County Attorney's Office released journal entries from Franke that referred to her 12-year-old son as a "demon," and her daughter as "sinful" as well as audio from a phone call with her estranged husband two days after her arrest. At the time, she maintained her innocence.
E! News previously reached out to attorneys for Ruby Franke, Kevin Franke and Jodi Hidelbrandt regarding newly-released evidence for comment but did not hear back.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (61)
Related
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Why Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White Thinks Pat Sajak's Daughter Is a Good Replacement for Her
- How Harry Styles Is Supporting Taylor Russell Amid Rumored Romance
- Free condoms for high school students rejected: California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes bill
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Vegas Golden Knights receive championship rings, which have replica of arena inside
- A third of schools don't have a nurse. Here's why that's a problem.
- Wisconsin Supreme Court sides with tenant advocates in limiting eviction records
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- Israelis search for loved ones with posts and pleas on social media
Ranking
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Dodge, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz among 280,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
- Former Israeli commander says Hamas hostage-taking changes the game, as families search for missing loved ones
- Kenya court temporarily bars security forces deployment to Haiti for two weeks
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Full transcript of Face the Nation, Oct. 8, 2023
- 2 elderly people found dead in NW Indiana home from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning
- As Israel pummels Gaza, families of those held hostage by militants agonize over loved ones’ safety
Recommendation
Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
Judge upholds most serious charges in deadly arrest of Black driver Ronald Greene
Priscilla's Cailee Spaeny Reveals How Magic Helped With Her and Jacob Elordi's Height Difference
San Francisco police fire gun at Chinese consulate where vehicle crashed
Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
Israel vows to destroy Hamas as death toll rises from unprecedented attack; several Americans confirmed dead
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander 'long-trip 3-row midsize SUV' bigger, better than predecessor
Wisconsin GOP leader silent on impeachment of Supreme Court justice after earlier floating it