Daughter of ‘YouTube mum’ child abuser Ruby Franke releases new memoir – what you need to know
The eldest daughter of Ruby Franke, who was convicted of physically and emotionally abusing her children, has revealed the torment she went through in a new memoir.
Shari Franke, 21, who reached out to authorities and the child protection services for help before her mother’s arrest in August 2023, writes that she and her five siblings were subject to Franke’s “twisted interpretation of crime and punishment all our lives”.
The mother of six, who gave parenting tips via a once-popular YouTube blog called “8 Passengers”, convinced her two youngest children that they were evil, possessed and needed to be punished to repent.
She and her business partner, mental health counsellor Jodi Hildebrandt, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse. The pair were jailed for up to 30 years each last February.
In the memoir, The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom, Ms Franke details for the first time what her childhood was like, how this changed when Hildebrandt moved into their family home, and if she has been able to forgive her mother.
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YouTuber mum sentenced for child abuse
Here is everything you need to know about the memoir that was released on Tuesday.
‘Really scary’
Ms Franke said during an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) that she experienced abuse at the hands of her mother when she was five or six years old.
She said her mother was “physical” and would slap her in the face or, when she was playing piano, she would slam her hands down on a surface.
She described her mother’s behaviour as “really scary”.
Ruby Franke in court. Pic: AP
But it was when Franke met Hildebrandt that the physical abuse turned more psychological, Ms Franke told GMA.
“I was like, I don’t like her [Hildebrandt], but maybe this is one good thing that’s come from it, is [Franke is] not yelling, she’s not hitting us any more.
“But it did become more psychological. And in a way, that was more damaging to me.”
Read more: Who is Ruby Franke?
‘My family’s very own cult leader’
In the book, Ms Franke describes Hildebrandt, who ran controversial life counselling organisation ConneXion, as her family’s “very own cult leader” who swept into their lives and turned her mother into “a fawning, starstruck acolyte who lapped up her every demented word like it was holy water”.
Hildebrandt and Franke often collaborated on parenting and relationship advice videos, which were often criticised for extreme teachings.
In since-deleted YouTube videos, the two preached that those who were not living in “truth,” including children, should be cut off from the rest of their families, Sky News’ US partner network, NBC News reported.
‘Strange’ relationship
Ms Franke goes on to hint that the relationship between her mother and her business partner escalated when she moved into their home.
“I don’t think it’s normal at all that a therapist would move into her client’s home,” she told GMA.
“I was moving out to college and hadn’t even left the house yet, and she is in my room and in my bed.”
Jodi Hildebrandt. Pic: Utah State Courts/AP
Ms Franke said her mother was “secretive” about her relationship with Hildebrandt, but said the “vibes [she] was getting was that something was strange between them”.
In an excerpt from her memoir that she shared on GMA, Ms Franke revealed that she found messages on Franke’s laptop after her arrest, that seemed to confirm the pair’s relationship had “spilled over into physical”.
However, when she was asked to elaborate on the matter on GMA, Ms Franke said that she “never saw anything specific about that” and wasn’t “sure” if they were more than friends.
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‘I don’t want to be anything like her’
At her sentencing hearing last year, Franke tearfully apologised to her children, saying: “I’ll never stop crying for hurting your tender souls.”
When asked if she thinks her mother meant her apology, Ms Franke told GMA that she believes she is “as sorry as she can be”.
She said she is now trying to rebuild her relationship with her siblings and her father, Kevin Franke – who filed for divorce from Franke.
“Sometimes I’ll see myself in the mirror and I’m like: ‘Oh, my gosh, I look like her’ or ‘I sound like her,'” Ms Franke said.
“But I don’t want to be anything like her.”
Sky News has not read a copy of the book.
Donald Trump has paused US military aid to Ukraine just days after his row with President Zelenskyy.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, said: “President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace.
“We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
There was no indication about the possible length of the pause, and there’s been no comment so far from Ukraine.
It comes after the astonishing clash between the two leaders – as well as vice president Vance – in the Oval Office on Friday.
Donald Trump‘s berating of Mr Zelenskyy has led to a show of support from European leaders as they try to formulate their own way forward.
The US president attacked the Ukrainian leader again on Monday, telling reporters he should be “more appreciative”.
The tens of billion in US aid has included Patriot air defence systems. Pic: Reuters
Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump also said Mr Zelenskyy had made “the worst statement that could have been made” after he commented that peace was still “very, very far away”.
“America will not put up with it for much longer!” he posted.
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” the president added.
Mr Zelenskyy then posted on X, saying Ukraine was “working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace”.
“Peace is needed as soon as possible,” he said.
Despite the diplomatic crisis, President Trump has said a deal is still possible.
An agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth metals was meant to have been signed by the two presidents on Friday.
It was billed as an important step in a future peace deal – and part payback for aid already received.
However, the dramatic falling out has thrown that into jeopardy.
Mr Zelenskyy wants the metals deal to include guarantees on halting Russia should it break the terms of any peace agreement.
However, vice president JD Vance suggested on Monday that the metals pact was the best way to secure a lasting end to the war.
“If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine
again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,” Mr Vance said.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” he added.
European and world allies – who met the Ukrainian leader in London at the weekend – have discussed a “coalition of the willing” to deploy peacekeepers and deter further Russian aggression.
The prime minister said Britain was prepared to put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” under the plan – but it’s unclear who else might participate.
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How many countries will back Starmer’s plan?
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Keir Starmer told MPs on Monday that Britain must “lead from the front” on supporting Ukraine and the “security of our continent, the security of our country”.
However, the prime minister believes any international deployment of troops must have a US “backstop” deterrent to be taken seriously by Russia.
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Sky News gets rare access to drone launch
America has given around €64bn of military aid to Ukraine, compared with €62bn from European nations (including Britain).
The overall US total is €114bn and the European one €132bn. This includes humanitarian aid and other financial assistance to keep the country running.
Following the weekend summit, the UK also pledged £1.6bn in finance for Ukraine to buy another 5,000 air defence missiles.
Donald Trump has confirmed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, taking effect at 5am UK time on Tuesday.
The US president confirmed the tariffs in a speech at the White House – and his announcement sent US stocks down sharply.
The tariffs will be felt heavily by US companies which have factories in Canada and Mexico, such as carmakers.
Mr Trump said: “They’re going to have a tariff. So what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs.”
There’s “no room left” for a deal that would see the tariffs shelved if fentanyl flowing into the US is curbed by its neighbours, he added.
As of 12:01am Eastern Standard Time (5.01am GMT), Mexico and Canada face tariffs of 25%, with 10% for Canadian energy, the Trump administration confirmed.
And tariffs on Chinese imports will double, raising them from 10% to 20%.
Canada announced it would retaliate immediately, imposing 25% tariffs on US imports worth C$30bn (£16.3bn). It added the tariffs would be extended in 21 days to cover more US goods entering the country if the US did not lift its sanctions against Canada.
China also vowed to retaliate and reiterated its stance that the Trump administration was trying to “shift the blame” and
“bully” Beijing over fentanyl flows.
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What is America’s trade position?
Mr Trump’s speech stoked fears of a trade war in North America and sent financial markets reeling.
Markets the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.4% and 1.76% respectively.
The share prices for automobile companies including General Motors, which has significant truck production in Mexico, Automaker and Ford also fell.
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Consumers in the US could see price hikes within days, an expert has said.
Gustavo Flores-Macias, a public policy professor at Cornell University, New York, said “the automobile sector, in particular, is likely to see considerable negative consequences”.
This is due to supply chains that “crisscross the three countries in the manufacturing process” and ” because of the expected increase in the price of vehicles, which can dampen demand,” he added.
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The Trump administration is gearing up to bring in other tariffs in the coming weeks.
On 2 April, reciprocal tariffs will take on effects on all countries that impose duties on US products.
He is also considering 25% tariffs on goods from the EU “very soon” after claiming the bloc was created to “screw the United States”.
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