Ruby Franke’s estranged husband sues her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt for causing him ‘economic and emotional distress’ by abusing his children who were starved and tortured inside her sick ‘panic room’
Ruby Franke’s estranged husband is suing her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt for causing him “economic and emotional hardship.”
Ruby Franke, 42, pleaded guilty in December to four counts of aggravated child abuse and was sentenced in February to a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Franke’s business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, 54, who she described as her “mentor”, received the same sentence.
Prosecutors accused the former business partners of starving and abusing Franke’s own children while doling out brutal parenting advice on social media.
Franke’s husband Kevin has now filed a lawsuit claiming that he and his children were victims of alleged emotional distress and negligence by Hildebrandt.
Kevin Franke, seen here with his ex-wife Ruby, has filed a lawsuit claiming he and his children were victims of alleged emotional distress and negligence by Jodi Hildebrandt
Jodi moved in with the couple after Kevin and Ruby tried to help her fight ‘evil spirits’ and ‘cast out the demons’
Ruby (pictured left), 42, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in February for brutally abusing her 12-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter in a ‘concentration camp-like environment’. Jodi (pictured right), 54, was also sentenced to a maximum of 30 years behind bars
CUTV reported that the lawsuit filed by Franke cites “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” “negligent infliction of emotional distress” and “negligence.”
The complaint alleges that Hildebrandt acted without regard to the likelihood that he would cause emotional distress to Franke and each of his children.
It is alleged that Franke suffered serious and/or extreme emotional distress as a result of her actions.
The lawsuit that he has suffered past and future economic and non-economic damages, pain, emotional distress, loss of quality of life and loss of enjoyment of life.
Franke is seeking judgment on damages, along with pain and suffering, losses and damages, and all other general damages, as well as costs and attorneys’ fees.
A written statement from Randy Kester, who is representing Kevin Franke on behalf of Franke, said: “This lawsuit marks an important step in our journey toward seeking justice for myself and my children against the abuses committed by Ms. Hildebrandt.
‘Mrs. Hildebrandt has used her authority and professional training as a weapon to cause enormous damage to myself, my children and my family.
“I am determined to do everything I can to ensure that this dangerous woman can never harm anyone else again and to ensure the long-term healing and well-being of my children.”
The complaint alleges that Hildebrandt acted without regard to the likelihood that he would cause emotional distress to Franke and each of his children. Ruby and Kevin are seen here
Child Protective Services took the two children, along with two older siblings, into custody after arriving at Ruby’s home to arrest her.
Defendant Ruby Franke looks on during the court hearing on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 in St. George, Utah
Defendant Jodi Hildebrandt looks on during the court hearing on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 in St. George, Utah
The couple had hired Hildebrandt as a family therapist in 2021, but she convinced the couple to separate a year later.
Franke became an internet sensation thanks to her YouTube channel 8 Passengers, where viewers watched her and Kevin raise and discipline their six children.
But late last year, shocking claims emerged that Franke, a Mormon, had abused her children for years.
Franke was arrested together with her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt The couple pleaded guilty in late December.
The first arrests took place in August last year after Franke’s 12-year-old son Russell crawled out of a window in Hildebrandt’s house, malnourished and with tape around his ankles.
One man, who later described the boy as “emaciated,” called 911 while his wife offered Russell water and some fruit.
The 12-year-old told police he had tried to escape a month earlier, prompting his own mother to handcuff his wrists and ankles.
After the daring escape, police ventured back in to look for the boy’s nine-year-old sister, Eve, who had not been seen in a month.
A neighbor who called 911 described the boy (seen here in Ring doorbell footage) as “emaciated”
Russell was severely malnourished at the time of his escape. He told police that Hildebrandt tied his wrists and ankles with rope before she and his mother “used cayenne pepper and honey to bandage the wounds.”
While Russell and Eve were regularly denied food, photos from the crime scene show a well-stocked pantry
Police found Eve, 9, cowering in a cupboard in the dingy house and were able to coax her out after four agonizing hours
The malnourished girl, whose head was shaved, was found cross-legged in a closet. She was brought to safety after a four-hour effort that culminated in officers ordering her pizza.
Franke, a mother of six, later admitted that she had forced the children to toil for hours in the oppressive heat with little food and water.
Twelve-year-old Russell suffered severe sunburn after working outside for several weeks without proper protection.
While Franke and Hildebrandt regularly withheld food from the children, photos from the crime scene showed a pantry packed with snacks and canned goods.
Both Russell and Eve were told they were possessed and that “the punishments were necessary to repent,” according to court documents.
The women “regularly tried to indoctrinate Russell and convince him that he was bad,” framing the abuse as “acts of love.”
The inhumane living conditions came to light when Russell escaped from the house in August 2023 and ran to neighbors for help
When police searched the premises, they found a mixture of cayenne pepper and honey used to dress the children’s wounds, and several coils of rope.
Russell told police that Hildebrandt tied his wrists and ankles with rope before she and his mother “used cayenne pepper and honey to bandage the wounds,” documents show.
Officers later found a container containing the mixture with a spoon dipped in it and a coil of rope next to it.
Hildebrandt, 54, is divorced and estranged from her own children. She claimed to specialize in sex addiction, but was reprimanded by the state in 2012 for having an inappropriate relationship with a client.
In the weeks following the couple’s arrest in August 2023, videos circulated of Ruby happily discussing how she had to make her son sleep on a beanbag as punishment and how she refused to bring her daughter a school lunch after forgetting to pack it herself .
Franke and her ex-husband Kevin hired Hildebrandt as a family therapist in 2021. But Hildebrandt eventually convinced the couple to break up a year later.
Franke then deleted her YouTube channel, which had more than 5 million subscribers at the time, before taking on a role as a mental health coach at Hildebrandt’s company, ConneXions.
They launched a new YouTube channel under the same name and created a joint Instagram account called Moms of Truth to teach their parenting lessons.