A distressed 911 caller provided crucial information to authorities regarding the alleged child abuse case involving Utah-based parenting bloggers Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt.
The two women, known for their lifestyle and parenting videos on the YouTube channel ConneXions Classroom, have been charged with six counts of child abuse.
The arrest took place on August 30th after Santa Clara Police received a dispatch call from a concerned citizen reporting a juvenile in need of help. In a 911 call obtained by Fox News Digital, a man describes how a 12-year-old boy showed up at his front door, emaciated and with tape around his legs.
The boy, who had come from Hildebrandt's house, asked for the police to be called, expressing fear. The caller later identifies Jodi Hildebrandt as the neighbor in question and reveals that the boy's mother is Ruby Franke, who does not live in the area.
According to court documents, one of Franke's six children managed to escape from Hildebrandt's home in Ivins through a window and sought help from a neighbor. The neighbor observed duct tape wrapped around the child's ankles and wrists and immediately contacted law enforcement. The caller, in tears, explains that the boy asked him to call the police and describes the sores and injuries on the child's body.
Upon arriving at Hildebrandt's home, the police discovered that the child had wounds and was severely malnourished. They immediately took him to the hospital for treatment, where he was placed on a medical hold due to his deep lacerations and malnourishment.
Another one of Franke's children, also malnourished, was found inside Hildebrandt's home after the first child contacted the police. Initially refusing medical assistance, the child was eventually taken to the hospital.
In total, law enforcement rescued six children from Hildebrandt's Washington County home. The affidavit states that Ruby Franke was present in the home and had knowledge of the abuse, malnourishment, and neglect of her two children at Hildebrandt's house. Franke, upon her arrest, immediately requested a lawyer and declined to speak with the police.
Internet users on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube quickly delved into Franke's and Hildebrandt's social media pages following their arrests, uncovering alarming statements made by the influencers. In one video, Franke discusses her decision to withhold Christmas presents from her two youngest children as a behavioral lesson. In another, she threatens to cut off a doll's head. These revelations have added to the public's shock and concern regarding the case.
Franke and Hildebrandt have been charged with causing or permitting serious physical injury to the two juvenile victims in three different ways: a combination of multiple physical injuries or torture, starvation or malnutrition that jeopardizes life, and causing severe emotional harm. The Washington County District Attorney's Office is handling the case.
Shari Franke, Ruby Franke's daughter, took to Instagram to express relief that justice is being served. She thanked the police and Child Protective Services for finally taking action after years of reporting the abuse. Shari asked for prayers for the children's well-being and requested privacy for her family during this difficult time.
Both Franke and Hildebrandt are currently in custody at the Washington County Jail in Hurricane, Utah. The investigation into this disturbing case continues.
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