USA. A parenting YouTuber admitted to violence against children

Franke pleaded guilty during a hearing held on Monday, December 18 in the city of St. George in the US state of Utah. As reported by the BBC, the YouTuber, admitting to committing the crimes she was accused of, expressed her “deepest regret and sadness about what happened to her children and family.” NBC News writes that the 41-year-old “fought with her emotions” while testifying in court. Before her confession, she was supposed to “close her eyes and take a deep breath.”

The BBC article states that Franke is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20. She faces four counts of violence against children. Another two such charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement the woman reached with the prosecutor’s office.

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Ruby Franke she was arrested on August 30 at her business partner’s home, parenting partner Jodi Hilderbrandt, in Springville, Utah. The BBC reported that the YouTuber was detained after one of her six children, a 12-year-old boy, managed to escape from the Hilderbrandt house where he was being held and reported to the police station. According to the police, the child suffered from malnutrition and had “lacerations and traces of being restrained with adhesive tape” on his limbs. In the 41-year-old’s house, the officers found Franke’s second child in a similar condition. According to the BBC, the 12-year-old allegedly testified that Hilderbrandt restrained him with tape. She was also arrested.

In a statement quoted by CBS News, Franke admitted, among other things, to kick their children in the stomach or force them to run barefoot on the road. She noted that she “did it all out of love.” She wanted to show the children that they were “evil and possessed.” According to the BBC, after the 41-year-old’s arrest, four of her six children were sent to a care center.

The website reports that Franke gained popularity on YouTube in 2015, after she started publishing videos there in which she talked about raising her children. At one point followed by over two million users, the channel was deactivated this year. In turn, on Instagram, Franke and Hilderbrandt acted as Mothers of Truth, or “mothers of truth”. In their videos, the women gave parents advice on raising children. Their profile was followed by over 335,000 people. users. The BBC notes that Franke has caused controversy before, for example when she promoted starving children as an educational method.

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