Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke Docuseries– Shocking Revelations About the Momfluencer’s dark Secrets

The highly anticipated docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is set to captivate viewers with its chilling exploration of one of social media's most shocking scandals. With a rise to fame as a strict Mormon momfluencer, Ruby Franke’s fall from grace has stunned millions. 

Now, for the first time, her family members are speaking out, offering an inside look at the dark secrets that were hidden behind the camera. This deep dive promises to leave viewers on the edge of their seats, craving every detail of this real-life thriller.

We’ll guide you through all the shocking details and updates, bringing you closer to understanding the complex, dark tale of Ruby Franke's rise and fall. Stay tuned, as we’ll keep you updated with the latest as new information emerges!

Release date & Where to Watch

The three-part docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke premieres on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

What is Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke About?

When popular vlogger Ruby Franke was arrested for child abuse in August 2023, the case quickly became one of the most talked-about scandals in America. For years, the Franke family’s YouTube channel portrayed a wholesome, happy family life, attracting millions of subscribers at its peak. 

However, beneath the surface, the cracks were beginning to show, and the family sought guidance from counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, ultimately spiraling into a nightmare. The arrest followed an incident where Franke’s malnourished 12-year-old son escaped from Hildebrandt's house in Ivins, Utah, and ran to a neighbor’s home seeking food and water.

This docuseries marks the first time Ruby’s eldest children, Shari and Chad, along with her husband Kevin, will share their story on camera. It offers exclusive access to their friends, neighbors, and more than a thousand hours of unseen footage from the family’s YouTube channel. 

Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke dives beyond the viral headlines to reveal the untold story of the Franke family—part tragedy, part coming-of-age narrative, and part cautionary tale about the dangers of life lived online.

Who’s Featured in Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke Docuseries?

• Ruby Franke
• Jodi Hildebrandt
• Shari Franke
• Chad Franke
• Kevin Franke

Is There a Trailer for Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke?

In the trailer for Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, the Franke family pulls back the curtain on their seemingly perfect lives, revealing dark truths. 

The trailer begins with a harrowing moment when Franke’s son knocks on a neighbor’s door, covered in wounds and duct tape around his ankles. The neighbor calls 911, saying, “I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door. He's got duct taped around each ankle. He's obviously covered in wounds.”

Shari describes the situation, saying, “What Ruby has done, it just crossed a line from abusive to just psychotic.”

Later comes a moment when Kevin Franke explains, “My wife Ruby’s sole ambition was to be seen as the perfect mom, and so she decided to create a YouTube channel and we became ‘8 Passengers.’” Shari Franke adds, “Our entire schedule revolved around YouTube. It felt more like a set than a house.”

Ruby's harsh behavior is evident in chilling video clips, where she’s seen screaming, “Sit her down on the flipping couch!” and “Move it! If I hear one more word, get out!” 

The family's descent into chaos accelerates when Jodi Hildebrandt enters their lives. Kevin reveals, “The devil knocked and we opened the door.” Hildebrandt, a therapist, is accused of exploiting their weaknesses, with one therapist stating she “was excellent at exploiting Mormon anxiety.” Kevin adds, “Weird things started happening.”

When asked in the docuseries, “Why didn’t you stand up and say this is nonsense?” Kevin responds, “If I dwell on that question, it eats me alive.” The trailer promises a deep dive into the family's unraveling, exploring the disturbing events that led to Ruby Franke's fall.

Episode Guide

• Season 1 Episode 1: Abundance (Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025)
• Season 1 Episode 2: Distortion (Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025)
• Season 1 Episode 3: Truth (Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025)

Who are Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt?

Ruby Franke, a former YouTube family content creator, and Jodi Hildebrandt, a mental health counselor, became closely intertwined, leading to controversy and allegations of abuse. 

Ruby’s eldest child, Shari Franke, wrote in her memoir "The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom" that she felt under “constant surveillance” as the daughter of a YouTube family content creator. Shari further revealed that Ruby believed God had given her a platform to help others by showcasing their family’s life. (via TODAY)

Ruby and her husband, Kevin Franke, sought parenting advice from Hildebrandt, who ran a life-coaching program called ConneXions. The Franke family soon became involved with Hildebrandt, and Ruby and Jodi began collaborating on parenting videos and podcast episodes, which they posted to the Instagram account “Moms of Truth.”

What’s the Legal case Surrounding Around Ruby Franke?

In August 2023, popular vlogger Ruby Franke was arrested for child abuse, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about stories in the U.S. The Frankes' YouTube channel launched in 2015, called 8 Passengers (named for Franke, her husband Kevin, and their six children), amassed 2.5 million subscribers at its peak and portrayed what appeared to be a wholesome, happy family life. (via Midland Daily News)

However, Ruby began facing online backlash for her extreme punishments, leading to an investigation by Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services. Despite initial probes, the case was dropped due to lack of proof. In February 2024, Franke was sentenced to at least four years in prison, though she could serve up to 30 years for child abuse. Her therapist, Jodi Hildebrandt, received a similar sentence for her role in the abuse. 

According to the Utah prosecutor, two of Franke’s children, aged nine and 11 at the time, were living in a “concentration camp-like setting.” The charges followed an incident where Franke's malnourished 12-year-old son escaped Hildebrandt's home in Ivins, Utah, running to a neighbor for food and water.

Responding officers also found Franke’s 10-year-old daughter malnourished inside Hildebrandt’s home. The two kids were admitted to a hospital for medical treatment, court documents state (via Salt Lake Tribune). After that, they and two other children of Franke’s were placed into state custody.

Franke was charged with six aggravated child abuse counts. As part of a plea deal, two charges were dropped. She was denied bail due to the "severity of injuries" her children endured. Police uncovered that the abuse went beyond malnourishment, with the children found bound with handcuffs, ropes, and chains. 

In recorded jail calls, Franke asked her husband if they had made the news, and later remarked, “So weird. It’s just not necessary. They’re trying to exaggerate this,” upon hearing her children would stay in the hospital for three days due to their injuries.

The Washington County attorney’s office said in a news release (via CBS News), "The women appeared to fully believe that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined ‘sins’ and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies." It was also added that the kids suffered emotional abuse "to the extent that they came to believe that they deserved the [physical] abuse."

Kevin Franke, the children's father, said that he had only spoken to Ruby four times in 2023, and that was mostly about financial issues. He had moved out of the family home in 2022, and that was the last time he had seen the kids.

Mr. Franke had said, "My job is to financially provide for them. … I pay the bills. With my job I provide the money, it goes into a shared bank account — that’s my only involvement.” Kevin filed for divorce from Ruby on Nov. 30, 2023, four months after Ruby's arrest on Aug. 30, 2023.

Behind the Scenes

The docuseries is directed by Olly Lambert, known for his work on BBC’s Ukraine: The People’s Fight and Netflix’s Aftershock. It is produced by Passion Pictures, the acclaimed studio behind Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story on Max.

This docuseries adds to Hulu’s growing lineup of true-crime documentaries, which includes The Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini, God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty, and Stolen Youth: The Cult at Sarah Lawrence.