Viewers threaten to boycott Lifetime’s Ruby Franke biopic: ‘Trauma for profit’

Viewers are vowing to boycott an upcoming biopic based on the crimes of Mormon mom vlogger Ruby Franke.

Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story premieres on Lifetime on October 26, but people are already threatening not to watch it and accusing the network of “trauma for profit.”

Franke, a popular influencer and YouTube star, 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 setting.”

The Lifetime film, which stars Heather Locklear as Franke’s business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, will chronicle the abuse in their home from horrors to the couple’s eventual arrest.

The comments section on the film’s official YouTube trailer is overwhelmingly negative, with hundreds of potential viewers vowing to boycott the “disgusting” project.

‘Don’t support this. The family was not aware of this being made and the proceeds will not go to the children. These children are already traumatized enough,” said one response, which received 1,900 votes.

‘This is absolutely disgusting. Barely a year after these events took place, a film was made. Without contacting the Franke family and children. Terrible. Just terrible. This film should not be released!’ wrote another.

“This is deeply inappropriate and takes away from the fact that real children have suffered and are STILL recovering from this extremely traumatic ordeal,” a third added.

A fourth wrote: ‘How totally disrespectful that a once respected Heather Locklear would be so desperate to play this role!! I hope she gets canceled for this!! How terrible!’

Ruby’s eldest daughter Shari, now 21, recently called the film ‘trash’ in a scathing post.

“A note about the Lifetime movie coming out about my family: I suddenly saw the trailer in class and had an anxiety attack,” she wrote on Instagram.

‘None of us had a contract for the film. None of the proceeds goes to the children. This movie is bullshit and will only hurt my brothers and sisters more. Please don’t support this movie.’

Last October, Shari – who is estranged from her parents – wrote on Instagram that there were “not even words to describe how upside down my life has become.”

“I’ve cried, had endless panic attacks, eaten way too much ice cream, and yet life goes on,” she continued.

She credited her faith with helping her through this difficult time.

“Therapy literally saved me, but so did God,” Shari wrote. “My life somehow becomes more beautiful and fulfilling, despite all the terrible things that happen.”

A month earlier, she had claimed that family members had been “trying to tell law enforcement about” her mother’s abuse for years.

Shari added that she was “so happy that they finally decided to step out” and that the children were safe.

In February this year, Ruby Franke was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated child abuse.

The YouTube mom, who gave parenting advice to her 2.5 million subscribers, subjected her children to horrors including starvation and forcing her son to suffer severe sunburn by working outside for weeks without adequate protection.

Her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, a mental health counselor, was also sentenced to 30 years after it was revealed she was involved in the abuse.

Franke’s estranged husband, Kevin, had not seen the children in more than a year.

During Franke’s trial, prosecutors played dramatic doorbell camera footage that showed the disturbing moment her son arrived at a neighbor’s house in chains and asked for help and directions to the police.

In the video, the emaciated and badly bruised 12-year-old boy cautiously approached his neighbors on their porch after escaping his mother’s torture through a window.

The child had just escaped from Hildebrandt’s home, investigators said.

Images released by the court also highlight the extent of Franke’s abuse, showing the two emaciated victims with infected cuts on their legs, duct tape around their arms and feet and scratches and bruises on their bodies.

Police discovered a cramped safe room in the basement of the property that was locked from the outside, with rope that would be used to tie up the children and adult diapers.

The boy later told prosecutors that his mother and Hildebrandt would also dress their wounds with honey and cayenne pepper, both of which were found in the home after a search.

The children were subjected to torture, including being tied up with rope, wearing adult diapers and being locked in a small safe room.

They were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in, and virtually all forms of entertainment.

Meanwhile, photos show the kitchen and pantry were stocked with food and Franke’s large office was busy making YouTube videos.

The young children were forbidden to socialize with others and were hidden in the house when people came to visit.’

Researchers added that they had to do manual labor outdoors in the extreme summer heat without shoes or socks.

Two children were told they were possessed and the torture was done as a way to help them.

Washington County Chief Deputy Attorney Ryan Shaum said in a written statement that Franke and Hildebrandt’s actions amounted to “some of the worst child abuse” he had seen in nearly three decades of prosecuting.