It was a case that shocked the world. On the surface, Ruby Franke, a US family vlogger who rose to fame on YouTube, looked like the picture-perfect mum to her six children, regularly sharing videos of their seemingly idyllic life in Utah.
But things weren't as they seemed. Franke's controversial parenting techniques, such as withholding food and removing bedroom doors, began to prompt backlash from some of her social media followers. Eventually, the devastating truth about Franke’s abuse came out when her 12-year-old son escaped Jodi Hilderbrandt's home and fled to a neighbour, who found the boy malnourished. Jodi Hilderbrandt was a Utah mental health counsellor who became Franke's business partner.
Franke pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse in 2023 and received four separate prison sentences of one to 15 years each. The prosecution described the children as being kept in a 'concentration camp-like setting'. Jodi Hildebrandt, received the same sentence.
Now, Franke's oldest daughter, Shari, 21, has spoken out for the first time about the abuse her family suffered on an interview with ABC's Good Morning America (GMA). Here's a round up of what Shari Franke said...
What did Shari Franke say about Ruby Franke?
In the interview with GMA, Shari addressed whether she would ever be able to forgive her mother for what the family went through. She said: 'Forgiveness is something I’ve had to study a lot and kind of think about what it means,' continuing 'But for me, forgiveness would look like not letting that consume every moment of my life.'
Shari was on the show to promote her memoir, The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom, which was released this week. The book details the decades of abuse Shari experienced at the hands of her mother and later her business partner Jodi Hildebrant. 'Sometimes I'll, see myself in the mirror and I'm like, "Oh, my gosh, I look like her," or "I sound like her," but I don't wanna be anything like her," said Shari.
In the interview, Shari went on to detail the abuse she suffered when she was around five or six years old. According to Shari, her mother would slap her in the face or slam her hand down on a surface, which she describes as 'really scary.' She explains that the behaviour got even more extreme when her mother met Hildebrandt. 'I was like oh, Jodi, I don’t like her, but maybe this is one good thing that’s come from it, is [Ruby Franke’s] not yelling, she’s not hitting us anymore,' Shari said. 'But it did become more psychological. And in a way, that was more damaging to me.'
After Franke met Hilderbrandt, the two worked together on videos for Hilderbrandt's life coaching service, ConneXions, which has now been deleted. She also caused cause controversy with these videos, including one in which her and Jodi discuss directives that parents shouldn’t love their children unconditionally. Eventually, Hilderbrandt moved into the family home. Shari’s father, Kevin Franke, also separated from Ruby Franke at her directive in 2022, according to his attorney.
In the memoir, Shari elaborates on this strange dynamic, writing that Hildebrandt became her family’s 'very own cult leader, a false prophet who swept into our lives like a hurricane, turning my mother into a fawning, starstruck acolyte who lapped up her every demented word like it was holy water.'
Shari explained that she, alongside her neighbours and even the Franke's social media followers, repeatedly contacted social services, but Utah’s 'free-range parenting' law made it difficult for authorities to intervene.
This isn't the first time that Shari has spoken out. In October, she took to the stand to testify about her experiences as the child of a parent vlogger, saying 'I come today as a victim of family vlogging. My goal today is not to present any idea of a solution to this problem but to shed light on the ethical and monetary issues that come from being a child influencer.'
At her sentencing hearing last year, Ruby Franke tearfully apologised to her six children. 'I ... believed dark was light and right was wrong,” she said in the courtroom. “I would do anything in this world for you. I took from you all that was soft and safe and good.'
Shari admitted to GMA she thinks her mother cannot 'fully comprehend the guilt' of what she put the family through, she thinks Franke is 'as sorry as she can be.'
Who is Shari Franke?
Shari Franke is Ruby Franke's eldest child. She has five other siblings. After Ruby’s arrest, her children were placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services.
Shari made multiple statements about the situation on Instagram following her mother’s arrest. She started off by posting a photo of a police car and an officer and wrote ‘Finally.’
‘Me and my family are so glad justice is being served,' she wrote in another post. 'We’ve been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they decided to finally step up. Kids are safe, but there’s a long road ahead.’
Is Shari Franke engaged?
Yes, Shari Franke is engaged. Last week, she shared a photo on Instagram showing a ring on her left hand to announce her engagement.
'I'm excited to share that I'm engaged!' she wrote. 'However, for me, this is the end of me sharing my private life.'
Does Shari Franke have Instagram?
Yes, you can follow Shari on Instagram at @sharilfranke.