Bodycam video shows police locating two of Ruby Franke’s daughters hours after son’s escape
By: One month after former YouTube influencer Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were sentenced to prison for child abuse charges, evidence released Friday depicts the severity of the abuse.
Perhaps most startling of the evidence released were the words directly from Franke and Hildebrandt, recorded during phone conversations each had while in the Washington County Jail.
"Adults have a really hard time understanding that children can be full of evil and what that takes to fight it," said Franke during one call. “And so I don’t know any other adults who are going to see the truth.”
In a call to an unidentified person, Hildebrandt seemed incredulous that what she had done should be considered abuse.
“So now, it’s abusive to make a kid sleep on the floor,“ she was recorded saying. “It’s ridiculous. You can’t even raise your kids anymore.”
In February, Franke and Hildebrandt were each sentenced to four 1-15-year terms in prison, one for each of the four counts of child abuse to which they pleaded guilty.
Their arrests came after one of Franke's children escaped Hildebrandt's home in August and knocked on the door of a neighbor in Ivins, asking for food and water. The neighbor noticed duct tape on the child's ankles and wrists and took action, calling the police.
In newly released video, doorbell footage captured a child ringing the doorbell before walking away as nobody answered. Shortly before leaving the property, a neighbor answered and asked what the problem was.
"I was just wondering if you could do me a favor." the child asked.
"Well, what are they?" the neighbor responded.
The child then asks if they could get in touch with the nearest police station.
"What's going on son, have a seat there," the neighbor says as the child sits in a chair on the front porch.
"It's personal business," the child is heard saying.
Documents detail the neighbors gave the child food and water as they alerted authorities. As an ambulance responded, the neighbors gave the child some sandals and food before they were examined.
"We need the police here now," the neighbor said in the video. "They're on their way," the other neighbor said.
Photos, videos, police reports, journal entries, phone calls and more were released as part of the evidence by Washington County officials that shows the gravity of the children's injuries.
"How'd you get the ropes on you, who did them," a police officer is heard asking the child. "You're not in trouble with me [redacted], we're just trying to figure out what's going on. Our main focus right now is you, okay?"
The child is heard speaking back to the officer, although their answers were redacted by officials. They were taken to the hospital and treated for deep cuts found on their wrists and ankles as well as severe malnourishment.