Ruby Franke’s estranged husband is speaking out for the first time since the vlogger pleaded guilty to child abuse.
Kevin Franke, who has since filed for divorce from Ruby, spoke to Good Morning America alongside the couple’s oldest son, Chad Franke, ahead of their upcoming Hulu docuseries, titled Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke.
This image taken from body camera footage provided by Washington County Attorney’s Office shows Jodi Hildebrandt, left, and Ruby Franke, center, being arrested on child abuse charges on Aug. 30, 2023, in Ivins, Utah. (Washington County Attorney’s Office via AP)
Last year, Ruby and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were given four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years in prison for four counts of aggravated child abuse.
Ruby and Hildebrandt were arrested after the Frankes’ youngest son escaped Hildebrandt’s home and knocked on the door of a neighbor asking for food and water. The neighbor noticed duct tape on the child’s ankles and wrists and called police, according to court documents. Police later found one of the Frankes’ daughters, emaciated, inside Hildebrandt’s home.
As part of the agreement, Ruby admitted to isolating her son, binding his hands and feet with rope and forcing him to do physical labor in the sun for hours without food and water. As part of her plea agreement, Hildebrandt admitted to coercing the Frankes’ 9-year-old daughter to jump into a cactus multiple times and helping Ruby physically and mentally torture her youngest son.
MORE | Evidence released shows severity of abuse in Franke and Hildebrandt case
In their interview with GMA, Kevin and Chad said everything changed in their household once Ruby hired Hildebrandt, a therapist and life coach. Kevin said, “(Hildebrandt) came across as someone who was firm and very authoritative” but was shocked when Hildebrandt’s focus turned to Kevin and Ruby’s marriage.
Chad said, “Looking back, I treated (Hildebrandt) as a god, and I trusted her so much.”
Hildebrandt insisted Kevin move out of the family’s home and cut off contact to “work on his addiction to selfishness,” reported GMA. When asked how he could leave his family, Kevin said, “The bottom line was I was choosing to trust a licensed professional mental health counselor and my wife, and they gave some terrible counsel.”
Kevin said he still loves Ruby, however he doesn’t want her involved in their lives. He then warned of the dangers of putting yourself and your family on social media and exercising caution with who you trust.
