Oldest daughter of Utah parenting blogger accused of child abuse speaks out for 1st time since mom’s arrest

The Oldest Daughter of Utah Parenting Blogger Ruby Franke Speaks Out

The oldest daughter of Utah parenting blogger Ruby Franke, who was arrested and charged with child abuse last month, has spoken out for the first time since her mother was apprehended. 

Background

Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, who together ran a parenting and lifestyle YouTube channel, were both charged with six counts of child abuse after police rescued two of Franke’s six children from Hildebrandt’s home on August 30. Authorities said the children appeared malnourished and neglected.

Impact on the Oldest Daughter

“There’s literally not even words to describe how upside down my life has become,” Shari Franke, Ruby’s oldest daughter, wrote in an Instagram post this week. 

“I’ve cried, had an infinite number of panic attacks, had way too much ice-cream, and yet life goes on. Therapy has literally saved me, but God has too. My life is somehow becoming more beautiful and fulfilling, despite all the terrible things going on.”

Court Proceedings

Shari added that she has tried to live “life to the fullest the last few weeks” despite wanting to “hide away.”

“Tomorrow is another big court day, and I’d appreciate your prayers and thoughts for my family and myself,” she wrote ahead of a hearing in her family’s child welfare case, which has been sealed from the public. “Words can’t express the gratitude I feel for you all, and I feel your love.”

Investigation and Allegations

After rescuing Franke’s youngest children from Hildebrandt’s home on August 30, police began to search for her other four kids, who were not at Hildebrandt’s home at the time. When police arrived at Franke’s address, officers had to force the front door open while serving a search warrant, according to Springville Police records.

Two days later, Ruby’s husband, Kevin Franke, apparently told police the front door of his home had been “kicked in and damaged” and some of his electronics were missing. He also named his oldest daughter, Shari, as a suspect in what he thought was a burglary. 

“Kevin stated that Shari is not allowed in the home, and that he believes she entered unlawfully and he wants her charged with burglary,” the officer wrote.

The officer then told Kevin Franke that his door had been broken in after the Springville Police Department served a search warrant at the home, and his daughter was not responsible for the damage, the report said.

Kevin Franke “wanted to have his daughter charged with theft for taking some hard drives out of the house,” but the responding officer informed him that “his daughter wasn’t aware” she wasn’t allowed to have them and offered to bring them back, the report states.

Shari reportedly returned the electronics, which included three tablets, three cellphones, three cameras, in addition to a stack of written journals and three passports, to police, and the responding officer “gave them to the complainant who arrived a short time later.”

Police informed Kevin Franke they would not be charging his daughter “as her intent was not to deprive him of any items, she had previously been allowed in the home, and he had not been in the home admittedly for 13 months,” the police report states.

Response from Kevin Franke

Kevin Franke then allegedly threatened to sue the police department, according to the report.

Kevin Franke’s attorney, Randy Kester, told 2KUTV the police reports alleging Kevin wanted his daughter arrested were not true.

About Ruby Franke

Ruby Franke ran a popular video blog, or “vlog,” called 8Passengers in reference to herself, her husband, and their six children, for years before she stopped posting on the page amid backlash about some of her controversial videos. In one such video, Franke told her followers about the couple’s decision to withhold Christmas presents from their two youngest children as punishment for what she described as selfish behavior.

In an August 2021 Instagram post, Ruby Franke described herself as a “nurturing mother.”

Conclusion

The case involving Ruby Franke and her business partner has garnered significant attention due to the allegations of child abuse. The well-being and safety of children are important aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 3 focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, while Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education. Additionally, Goal 5 emphasizes gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls. These goals highlight the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect, providing them with a nurturing environment, and promoting their overall well-being.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
• Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
• Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 1.2.1: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age group.
• Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment.
• Indicator 3.2.1: Under-five mortality rate.
• Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
• Indicator 5.1.1: Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce, and monitor equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 16.3.3: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table