The sisters of mom influencer Ruby Franke, known for her YouTube Channel “8 Passengers,” spoke out following her arrest over alleged child abuse and revealed why they remained silent for years.
On Thursday, Franke’s sisters Ellie Mecham, Bonnie Hoellein, and Julie Deru wrote they had “kept quiet” surrounding her “for the sake of her children” in an Instagram post a day after her arrest.
“Behind the public scene we have done everything we could to try and make sure the kids were safe. We wouldn’t feel right about moving forward with regular content without addressing the most recent events,” they continued.
The siblings concluded their statement, claiming Franke’s arrest “needed to happen” along with the arrest of her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt.
“The kids are now safe, which is the number one priority,” they shared.
According to Page Six, Franke and Hildebrant were arrested on Wednesday under suspicion of two counts of aggravated child abuse.
In arrest records obtained by the outlet, a child went out a window at Hildebrant’s home to a neighbor and asked for food and water.
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The neighbor noticed the child “appeared to be emaciated and malnourished.” The victim was also bound with duct tape around their wrists and ankles, which prompted the neighbor to call the police.
The officers who responded to the call said the child’s condition was “severe” per their observation and was taken to the hospital.
The child was also put on a medical hold “due to deep lacerations from being tied up with rope.”
Shortly after, another child was discovered to be malnourished and was transported to the hospital.
Additionally, the police report stated Franke filmed a YouTube video days before the rescue at Hildebrant’s home which suggested she was aware of “the abuse, malnourishment and neglect.”
Four of Franke’s children are currently in the care of the Department of Child and Family Services.
Randy S. Kester, attorney for Franke’s husband, Kevin, told Page Six, that his client’s “urgent focus” is “simply to keep his children together under his fatherly care.”