Chad Franke: The Truth About Ruby Franke Is Worse Than You Think

For nearly a decade, Ruby Franke was known as the wholesome Mormon matriarch behind the YouTube channel 8 Passengers. On the channel, she and her husband, Kevin, documented their family life with their six children. At its peak, the channel had 2.5 million subscribers and over a billion views. But behind the carefully edited vlogs was an alarming truth—one that would eventually land Ruby Franke in prison for aggravated child abuse.

Now, one of those children, Chad Franke, is speaking out. And what he reveals on The Squeeze is even more heartbreaking than you might expect.

Where is Ruby Franke now?

On February 20, 2024, Ruby Franke was sentenced to four consecutive terms of 1 to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of aggravated child abuse. Under Utah law, she must serve at least four years of that sentence behind bars. Her partner in crime, Jodi Hildebrandt—a so-called therapist and Ruby’s business partner at the now-defunct ConneXions—was also sentenced for her role in the abuse.

The horrifying details of the case began to unfold in August 2023, when Ruby’s 12-year-old son escaped from Hildebrandt’s home with visible wounds and duct tape on his limbs, asking a neighbor for food and water. Police found Ruby’s 10-year-old daughter inside the house, also severely malnourished. Both children were hospitalized, and the remaining minor children were taken into custody.

This wasn’t an isolated incident—it was the culmination of years of abuse disguised as “discipline,” backed by warped religious justifications and broadcast to millions.

Chad Franke breaks his silence

Now 19, Chad Franke is ready to share his truth. In his sit-down with The Squeeze, Chad doesn’t just talk about what happened—he gives us the emotional blueprint of what it felt like to grow up in a house that doubled as a YouTube set.

From a young age, Chad was a star of 8 Passengers. At first, he enjoyed the attention: “I liked it because I realized that people liked me,” he said. But the darker side emerged quickly. Chad recalled how his mother would “take the door off [his] bedroom,” and later, his bathroom door. “She didn’t want me to have any kind of privacy at all,” he explained.

Then came the moment that sparked public outrage: the revelation that Chad had been sleeping on a beanbag for seven months. The video went viral, triggering immediate backlash. “That day was when the cancellation started,” Chad said. His mother’s response? She stormed into the room screaming, “You bitch. You did that on purpose. You knew what you were doing.”

Chad was just 15.

“I don’t think I’ve ever shared this before,” he admitted, referencing that night. “My dad actually came down and was like, ‘Ruby, you need to get away from him.’” It was one of the few moments his father intervened.

Brainwashing and “distortion”

One of the most chilling takeaways from the interview is Chad’s account of how Ruby and Jodi Hildebrandt manipulated his understanding of right and wrong using religious language.

“Distortion” was the word they used to label anything they deemed sinful or threatening. Chad explained, “Truth and distortion were like heaven and hell.” If he so much as questioned his mother or Jodi, he was told he was living in “distortion” and, by extension, rejecting God.

It’s no surprise, then, that Chad once believed their abuse was justified. “As sad as it is to say,” he admitted, “I even believed [Ruby] when she said she was saving the kids from demons.”

A stolen childhood and a powerful resolution

One of the most gut-wrenching parts of Chad’s story is how deeply this manipulation cost him. He was a top sprinter in Utah, and track was his passion. After being banned from football, he held onto track until that, too, was taken away by his mother. “I cried like a baby,” he remembered. “She took away the one thing that brought me joy.”

But in a moment of clarity and courage, Chad confronted his mother after her arrest. “We talked in very spiritual ways, like, ‘Mom, Jesus wouldn’t hurt his kids like this,’” he recalled. She initially denied everything—but days later, she called again, this time crying. “She said, ‘I thought about everything you said… You are completely right.’”

Despite this, Chad is clear: “Just because I said I love you… doesn’t mean I should have a relationship with her right now.”

He hasn’t spoken to her since.

Chad Franke today: Moving forward

Today, Chad is focused on healing. He’s in therapy. He’s working on a clothing line called Freed, inspired by the #FreeChad movement that gained traction online during the height of the scandal. “I want other kids to feel like they have a voice,” he said.

He’s also definitive about the future: “I’ll never put my kids on social media. They deserve a real childhood.”

In a world where influencers often profit from performative parenting, Chad Franke is the rare voice of reason, proof that resilience is real and healing is possible.

And as for Ruby Franke? The truth isn’t just that she was abusive. It’s that she monetized that abuse, justified it with religion, and convinced herself it was love. Thankfully, her children now know better.