Prominent "momfluencer" Ruby Franke, who ran the now defunct YouTube channel "8 Passengers" with husband Kevin, was arrested on Wednesday in Utah on two counts of aggravated child abuse.
It came after police received a call about "a juvenile asking for help" who turned out to be "emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds and duck tape around the extremities."
The "8 Passengers" channel, which amassed 2.5 million subscribers before being deleted without explanation, followed the lives of Ruby, Kevin and their six children, with a focus on parenting advice and references to their Mormon faith.
Franke had since become involved with ConneXions, a self-styled self-improvement organization, run by her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt who was also arrested on Wednesday.
In a statement published on social media, the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department commented: "On August 30, 2023, around 10:50 hours, a report came into our dispatch center regarding a juvenile asking for help. The calling party stated the juvenile appeared to be emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds and duck tape around the extremities. The juvenile was asking for food and water."
The child's condition was "so severe" that after being found by authorities, they were taken to Santa Clara-Ivins EMS for treatment. Officers then searched a nearby home, where they found "another juvenile in a similar physical condition of malnourishment" who was also taken to hospital.
At this point a search warrant was obtained, and "four minor children were taken into the care of the Department of Child and Family Services," whilst both Franke and Hildebrandt were placed under arrest.
Following the arrests, Franke's eldest child, 20-year-old Shari, shared what appeared to be a photograph of her mother's arrest as an Instagram Story with the caption "finally," adding: "Me and my family are so glad justice is being served."
Shari, a student at Brigham Young University, said she had broken off contact with her mother last year, during a podcast interview in April, in response to her work with ConneXions.
In a separate Instagram Story post, Shari asked her followers to send over "links to any questionable or concerning Connexions or 8passengers videos." She later shared a Google Doc containing a list of things Franke was alleged to have done, including saying "pain is meant to be a teacher, it's your ally" and stating her two youngest children wouldn't be getting Christmas presents as a punishment.
Newsweek has reached out to ConneXions for comment via email.
In separate incidents, Evesham Township Police rescued a child in New Jersey on Monday from a property which contained more than 30 dead dogs.
On August 5, a mother was arrested in California, near the city of Rialto, after allegedly putting alcohol in a bottle she then gave to her 7-week-old child.
Police in Louisiana arrested a couple after a dead 4-month-old baby, described as being in a "deplorable condition," was found in their property on August 1.
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James Bickerton is a Newsweek U.S. News reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is covering U.S. politics and world ... Read more
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